This bill allows secondary school students in Pennsylvania with cystic fibrosis or pancreatic insufficiency to carry and self-administer prescribed pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) at school. To qualify, students must provide a doctor's order, a parent's request, and written acknowledgments from both the school nurse and the student confirming they understand safety precautions. Schools may restrict self-administration if students fail to follow rules or safeguard the medication, but must then ensure the medication is stored in an accessible location with clear access instructions. The law also requires schools to adopt written policies outlining documentation processes, storage locations, and limits on daily supply quantities.
HB 2217 requires Pennsylvania public schools to provide specific minimum recess and lunch periods for students. It mandates at least 30 minutes of recess daily for full-day kindergarten through fifth grade, 15 minutes for half-day kindergarten, and 30 consecutive minutes of lunch for all full-day kindergarten through twelfth grade. The bill prohibits withholding lunch for discipline or make-up work, ensures students can opt out of cafeteria lunch for religious reasons, and prevents schools from reducing non-tested subject instruction time to provide recess without balancing with tested subjects. This applies to all school entities (including districts, charter schools, and cyber charters) and takes effect July 1, 2027.
HB 2218 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to require all school entities (including districts, charter schools, cyber charters, and career schools) to develop and implement a written comprehensive school counseling plan. The bill mandates that each plan, created by certified school counselors, must include annual reviews, K-12 systemic alignment, grade-level and building-specific strategies, and integration with existing student services plans. Key provisions define "direct services" (like individual counseling and classroom instruction) and "indirect services" (such as parent consultations), requiring plans to guide students in academic, career, and social-emotional development. The law establishes specific components for the plan - foundation, management, delivery, and accountability - without specifying funding or new programs.
HB 2168 amends Pennsylvania's Early Intervention Services System Act to clarify how state funds support early intervention services for children in private special education schools. It specifies that for children not eligible for public kindergarten programs, the state covers the full cost of their services, while for children eligible for public kindergarten, the state covers only the extra cost (above what public schools would pay). This change ensures funding aligns with each child's eligibility for public school services. The bill directly affects children receiving early intervention services and the Department of Education's budgeting for these programs.
HB 2152 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to allow school districts to use state grant funds for shifting secondary school start times to no earlier than 8:30 a.m., requiring the new time to be at least 15 minutes later than current start times. School entities must adopt a policy for the later start time and inform communities about the health and academic benefits of adequate sleep for students before implementation. The Department of Education must provide guidance and support to schools planning this change, including public awareness campaigns. This applies to all Pennsylvania school districts and charter schools serving grades 7-12.
SB 299 creates the Pennsylvania Promise Program, providing tuition/fees and room/board scholarships to eligible Pennsylvania residents attending higher education. It directly affects two groups: (1) "eligible students" under age 24 (or active military) who graduated high school within five years, and (2) "eligible adult learners" aged 24+ with a high school diploma. The program, administered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, covers tuition/fees up to the State System’s maximum in-state rate and room/board based on agency standards. Funding comes from the newly established Pennsylvania Promise Program Fund, requiring applicants to complete FAFSA and apply for other grants first.
HB 2084 establishes the Pennsylvania Promise Program, providing scholarships for tuition, fees, and room and board to eligible Pennsylvania residents attending college. It directly affects two groups: students under 24 (or active military) who must be Pennsylvania residents, have a high school diploma, and complete the FAFSA; and adult learners 24 or older seeking reeducation with similar requirements. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency administers the program and a dedicated fund, covering tuition up to the state's maximum in-state rate and room and board based on agency standards. The program applies to community colleges, state-owned institutions, state-related universities, and Thaddeus Stevens College.
SB 839 requires Pennsylvania public schools to incorporate media literacy education into K-12 curricula. The bill mandates the Department of Education to develop an age-appropriate model curriculum within 12 months, covering critical thinking about media messages, bias, misinformation, marketing tactics, and perspective gaps. School districts must implement this curriculum starting the school year after the bill takes effect. The Department must also provide free online resources and teacher training on media literacy.
HB 1597 creates a mandatory after-school reading program for kindergarten through second-grade students in Pennsylvania public schools starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The program requires schools to employ trained teen leaders (grades 9-12) to provide one-on-one tutoring using research-backed phonics-based methods, with sessions structured as 45 minutes of individual instruction followed by 45 minutes of group reading activities. Schools must report student progress, teen leader numbers, and program partnerships annually, and state funds prioritized for schools with high numbers of students not meeting reading benchmarks. This directly affects K-2 students, teen tutors, and school districts implementing the program.
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.
