SB 720 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to modify vision health requirements for school-aged children in public and nonpublic schools. It mandates that children receive a comprehensive eye health and vision examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist before their first school admission, and again in fourth and eighth grades. The bill also requires an annual vision screening or eye examination. If a child fails a school-provided vision screening, a comprehensive eye health and vision examination becomes mandatory, to be completed within 120 days or before the next school year.
SB 128 requires Pennsylvania public schools, charter schools, cyber charters, and other school entities to post online, on their public websites, details about their curriculum starting with the 2025-2026 school year. This includes links to textbooks used, course syllabi, written summaries of courses, and state academic standards for each course. Schools must update this information within 30 business days of any changes to their curriculum materials. The law explicitly states it does not override copyright or intellectual property rights held by curriculum creators.
SB 378 establishes new student data privacy rules for Pennsylvania's K-12 schools (excluding colleges). It requires schools to collect only essential student data (like grades or medical records), protect all data with safeguards, and obtain written parental consent for sharing non-essential information. The law defines key terms like "biometric identifiers" (e.g., fingerprints) and prohibits collecting sensitive data such as political views or religious information without authorization. The Department of Education gains enforcement powers to ensure compliance and impose penalties for violations. This directly affects public schools, charter schools, and cyber schools operating under Pennsylvania's education statutes.
SB 375 repeals a requirement that schools provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training for staff every three years. Instead, it mandates that Pennsylvania schools obtain and maintain automated external defibrillators (AEDs) - heart rhythm shock devices - by requiring 2.5% of annual school safety funding to be used for purchasing AEDs and related training. The bill establishes an AED program requiring school staff to complete AED and CPR training through approved organizations like the American Heart Association, and it defines AEDs as portable devices that restore heart rhythm during cardiac arrest. This law directly affects all public and nonpublic schools in Pennsylvania, shifting focus from mandatory staff CPR training to AED availability and use.
SB 1014 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code of 1949 to require public schools to adopt a "bell-to-bell phone-free policy" during the entire school day. This policy directly affects all public K-12 schools and students by prohibiting the use of personal electronic devices during instructional time. The key provision mandates that schools establish and enforce this policy, though the bill does not specify exemptions or implementation details. The legislation focuses on reducing distractions in classrooms by limiting student phone access from the start to the end of the school day. It is currently pending in the Education committee.
SB 998 would create a grant program to fund expansions of nursing education programs at colleges and universities. It requires the Department of Community and Economic Development to administer grants for institutions aiming to increase nursing program capacity, directly affecting nursing schools and future nursing students. Key provisions include establishing grant criteria, application processes, and reporting requirements for funded programs. The bill is currently pending in the Appropriations committee after committee review.
SB 116 allows high school juniors and seniors (age 16+) attending public or nonpublic schools in Pennsylvania to earn elective graduation credits for work at qualifying care facilities. Students may receive one elective credit for every 250 hours worked (up to a maximum of two credits) at a congregate care facility, such as a nursing home, personal care home, or assisted living residence. Schools must establish an application process requiring details like facility contact information, job description, and verified hours, and must approve applications before awarding credit. The bill directly affects students seeking to fulfill graduation requirements through work experience in healthcare or care settings.
SB 974 establishes a grant program within Pennsylvania's Department of Education to fund public colleges and community education councils that offer dual credit courses to high school students. The program prioritizes institutions expanding access for underserved groups, including rural students, low-income students, career and technical education participants, and those experiencing education instability. Grants require recipients to report annual data on students earning college credits through these partnerships and their post-graduation college enrollment, with this information made publicly available online. The bill directly affects public higher education institutions, community education councils, and high school students participating in dual credit programs.
HB 1421 allocates state funding for certain state-aided universities during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It specifies the amount of funding, requires payments to occur at set intervals, and mandates detailed recordkeeping by the universities. The bill also imposes new duties on the Auditor General to review these records and requires universities to submit financial statements. Additionally, it includes restrictions on the use of funds and addresses the Agricultural College Land Scrip Fund.
SB 10 establishes the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success Scholarship Program (PASS), providing financial assistance to low-income students attending nonpublic schools. It directly affects eligible students in Pennsylvania who live in households below 250% of the federal poverty level, attend or reside within the attendance boundary of a low-achieving public school, and have not earned a high school diploma. The program, administered by the State Treasury starting in the 2026-2027 school year, covers tuition, school-related fees, and special education services at participating nonpublic schools. School districts must notify parents of eligible students about the program within 15 days of a school being designated "low-achieving."
