HB 819 Pennsylvania House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

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

13172
Passed
Total votes 203
Apr 9, 2025
D Democratic102
102 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican101
29 Yea 72 Nay
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