An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in certification of teachers, further providing for continuing professional development; providing for access to rigorous courses of study for all students; establishing the Access to Rigorous Courses of Study for All Students Grant Program; and imposing duties on the Department of Education.
HB 819 amends Pennsylvania's teacher certification rules to require expanded professional development options, including manufacturing workplace visits and coaching for advanced courses. It establishes a grant program to help schools that lack access to rigorous courses - such as AP, IB, dual enrollment, or career-focused programs - by funding educator training and course offerings. The law mandates school entities to provide these courses and sets benchmarks for eligibility, with the Department of Education overseeing implementation. This directly affects teachers (through updated certification requirements) and schools struggling to offer college-level coursework.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 13, 2025
Last action Apr 11, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Printer's No. PN0926
→
Printer's No. PN0987
·
3 edits
MINOR
This bill update clarifies that schools offering fewer than eight rigorous courses are eligible for training grants and mandates these grants focus on core academic areas. It significantly expands exam fee assistance by requiring the department to reimburse 100% of costs for low-income students (at or below 185% of the federal poverty threshold) taking exams for college credit. The report requirements for the General Assembly were expanded to include data on dual credit participation and educator training in non-core subjects.
Scope change
The bill now explicitly includes schools with fewer than eight rigorous courses as eligible for grants and broadens the scope of required reporting to cover dual credit and non-core subject training.
ELIGIBILITY
Schools offering fewer than eight rigorous courses are now deemed eligible for educator training grants, and any grant received must include core academic areas.
FISCAL
Exam fee assistance was changed from a discretionary subsidy to a mandatory 100% reimbursement for students at or below 185% of the federal poverty threshold taking exams for college credit.
REQUIREMENT
Annual reports to the General Assembly now must include statistics on dual credit completion, the number of institutions providing dual credit, and educators trained in non-core areas teaching other rigorous courses.
Floor votes · House Apr 9, 2025
How they voted
131–72
Passed
Total votes 203
Apr 9, 2025
D
Democratic102
100% Yea
R
Republican101
71% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
10
Key actions
3
Committee
4
Amendments
1
Apr 11, 2025
Committee
Referred to Education
upper
Apr 9, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third consideration and final passage
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Lower · Passed
Re-reported as committed
lower
Apr 8, 2025
Committee
Re-committed to Appropriations
lower
Mar 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported as amended
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Committee
Referred to Education
lower
1 primary · 15 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Steve Malagari
DDemocratic
Co
Anthony Bellmon
DDemocratic
Co
Ben Sanchez
DDemocratic
Co
Bob Freeman
DDemocratic
Co
Carol Hill-Evans
DDemocratic
Co
Heather Boyd
DDemocratic
Co
Joe Webster
DDemocratic
Co
JG
José Giral
DDemocratic
Co
Keith Harris
DDemocratic
Co
Maureen Madden
DDemocratic
Co
Missy Cerrato
DDemocratic
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