Education

in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 2, 2025

HB 1373: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in high schools, further providing for assessment of civic knowledge.

HB 1373 requires Pennsylvania high schools to administer the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Test as a civic knowledge assessment to students in grades 7-12 starting in the 2026-2027 school year. Students must score at least 60% on this test to meet a high school graduation requirement. Schools must report compliance data, including participation and passing rates, to the state education department every other year. The bill specifically exempts students with individualized education programs (IEPs) if their IEPs indicate they are not required to take the test.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates civic knowledge assessment as graduation requirement, strengthening curriculum standards and student civic education in K-12 schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 30, 2025

HB 1680: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, providing for proposed curriculum changes and online curriculum availability.

HB 1680 requires school entities (including districts, charter schools, and cyber charters) to follow specific processes for curriculum changes and increase public access to course materials. It mandates that school boards present proposed curriculum changes at a regular meeting and cannot approve them until the next meeting. Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, schools must post online links to primary course resources, syllabi, and state standards within 30 business days of updates, without violating copyright laws. The bill applies to all public and private schools covered under Pennsylvania's Public School Code.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates public access to course materials/syllabi and requires deliberate curriculum change processes, enhancing transparency and accessibility per education topic indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 20, 2025

HB 613: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in higher education accountability and transparency, further providing for comparison tool.

HB 613 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to require a public comparison tool for higher education institutions to include each school's endowment data. This change directly affects students, families, and researchers who use the tool to compare colleges, as it adds financial transparency about institutional resources. The bill mandates that the existing comparison tool must allow users to identify and compare institutions based on endowment size, alongside other metrics. It does not alter college operations or funding but expands available data for informed decision-making. The requirement becomes effective 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates endowment transparency in college comparison tool, enhancing access to financial data for informed educational decisions.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 20, 2025

HR 80: A Resolution urging the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education to collaborate on conducting a Statewide study of school cafeteria services provided to every school district.

This resolution urges Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture and Department of Education to jointly conduct a statewide study of school cafeteria services across all school districts. The study would establish meal quality standards (including portion sizes and vegetarian/vegan options by grade level), compare current meals to those standards, analyze preparation and student meal costs, and recommend legislative actions to improve nutrition. It requires the departments to issue a public report with findings and recommendations within one year. The resolution directly affects all Pennsylvania public school districts by initiating a formal review of meal services and costs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates study to establish school meal quality standards, improve nutrition, and recommend legislative actions - directly advancing student health and educational access within K-12 schools.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Health

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 869: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, providing for nonpublic school and home education program exemption.

HB 869 exempts nonpublic schools and home education programs in Pennsylvania from state emergency orders during disaster declarations, such as those issued by the Governor or the Secretary of Health under Pennsylvania law. This applies to institutions like church schools, home school groups, nonprofit schools, and one-room schools that meet legal requirements for educating students. The bill adds this exemption to the Public School Code of 1949, meaning these schools would not be required to close or follow specific health directives during declared emergencies. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts nonpublic/homeschools from emergency closures, maintaining educational access during disasters for these programs.80% confidence

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 3, 2025

HB 780: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, establishing the Early Childhood Educator Tuition Assistance Program and the Early Childhood Educator Tuition Assistance Fund.

HB 780 creates a tuition assistance program for early childhood educators in Pennsylvania. It provides grants to cover tuition costs (minus other financial aid) for individuals pursuing associate degrees or certifications in early childhood education, targeting those earning under 400% of the federal poverty level, enrolled in at least six credit hours per semester, and working 25+ hours weekly in approved early childhood programs. Recipients must agree to work in Pennsylvania early childhood education for two years after completing their program. Funding comes from a new state fund, with annual reports tracking enrollment, retention, wages, and job demand. The program aims to support workforce development in early childhood education through financial assistance tied to service commitments.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates tuition grants for early childhood educators to pursue degrees/certifications, targeting low-income workers in approved programs, directly supporting educator development and workforce access.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides tuition grants to early childhood educators, enhancing workforce development and career advancement opportunities within labor sector.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Student Financial Aid Teachers Workforce Development

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 465: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school finances, providing for commercial property tax redistribution.

HB 465 (2025) amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to redirect a portion of commercial property taxes collected by school districts to intermediate units for redistribution. School districts with commercial properties valued at $10 million or more must send increasing percentages of those taxes (starting at 10% in year one, rising to 70% by year seven) to their intermediate unit's commercial property tax group. The intermediate unit then redistributes these funds to school districts based on each district's average daily student enrollment relative to the total enrollment of all districts it serves. This bill directly affects school districts containing high-value commercial properties, changing how their commercial tax revenue is collected and allocated.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects commercial property tax revenue from larger districts to redistribute funds, strengthening equitable school funding through fiscal reallocation within the tax system.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRedirects commercial property taxes to redistribute funds among school districts, aiming to balance school funding resources per bill's redistribution mechanism.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Revenue School Funding

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 19, 2025

HB 963: An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, providing for Apprentice Education Expense Tax Credit Program and for powers of the Department of Revenue.

HB 963 creates a new tax credit program in Pennsylvania for employers covering educational expenses of apprentices. It allows employers to claim tax credits for up to $3,500 per qualifying apprentice toward tuition, books, and lab fees at eligible PA schools. To qualify, apprentices must be PA residents, at least 16, enrolled full-time in a U.S. Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship program, and employed by the claiming employer in Pennsylvania. The Department of Revenue administers the program, requiring electronic applications and setting eligibility criteria for schools and apprentices. This policy directly affects PA employers in registered apprenticeship programs and their apprentices pursuing postsecondary training.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates tax credit reducing employer tax liability for apprentice education expenses, providing direct tax relief and promoting workforce development through fiscal incentive.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates tax credit for employers covering apprentices' educational expenses (tuition, books, fees), directly expanding vocational training access. Aligns with topic's 'educational access' focus by reducing cost barriers for apprentices.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill creates tax credits for employer-paid apprentice education, advancing workforce development and training opportunities under labor/employment policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Higher Education Apprenticeships

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 3, 2025

HB 793: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, further providing for Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations instruction.

HB 793 requires Pennsylvania public schools to post primary resources and course summaries about Holocaust, genocide, and human rights violations instruction on their public websites by the 2026-2027 school year. It directs the Pennsylvania Department of Education to develop curriculum guidelines within 12 months, encouraging coverage of Holocaust history, global genocides (like Rwanda), human rights violations, and anti-Semitism. The bill applies to all school entities (districts, charter schools, technical schools) and mandates transparency without requiring new content. The guidelines must specify minimum instructional time and be posted online, while respecting intellectual property rights.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates Holocaust/genocide curriculum requirements and resource posting, enhancing educational content per PA Code without restrictions or funding cuts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 6, 2025

HB 823: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, further providing for fire and emergency evacuation drills.

HB 823 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to replace annual fire drills with "school security drills" in all public school buildings. It requires schools to conduct one security drill per year (after the first 90 days of school), with specific rules: drills must be age-appropriate, avoid violent simulations (like fake weapons or injuries), include mental health professionals, and require 7 days' advance notice to parents. Schools must also hold a debriefing period with mental health support immediately after each drill. This bill directly affects all Pennsylvania public schools and their students, shifting focus from fire safety to comprehensive security planning.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAmends school safety protocols to include mental health support during security drills, enhancing student safety and well-being within educational operations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

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