Senate Bill 679 proposes to establish a minimum hourly wage or a living wage for education support professionals in Pennsylvania's public schools, such as aides, custodians, and cafeteria staff. Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, these employees would be paid at least $20 per hour or a living wage, whichever is greater, with overtime at one and a half times that rate. The Department of Labor and Industry would be responsible for determining and annually adjusting the living wage for each school entity. Public school entities would receive supplemental reimbursements from the Department of Education to help cover these increased wage costs, including payments for existing contracts that fall below the new minimum.
SB 645 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to mandate cursive handwriting instruction in elementary schools. The bill defines "cursive handwriting" and requires it to be taught in all elementary public and private schools. Specifically, students must receive instruction to ensure they can read and write cursive by the end of fifth grade. These new requirements also apply to charter schools and cyber charter schools.
HB 334 creates a $2,500 Pennsylvania Individual Recruitment and Retention Tax Credit for specific new professionals who move to the state after December 2024. It directly affects qualifying taxpayers certified in teaching (e.g., instructional or special education certificates), law enforcement (e.g., police academy graduates), or healthcare (e.g., registered nurses) who become Pennsylvania residents and secure employment in those fields. The credit reduces their state income tax bill for wages earned in qualifying roles, available for three consecutive years (including the first qualifying year), and requires proof of certification to the Department of Revenue. The credit expires December 31, 2030, and applies only to individuals becoming qualifying taxpayers between 2025 and 2027.
Topics
✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates $2,500 tax credit for essential workers (teachers, law enforcement, healthcare) reducing state income tax burden, aligning with tax relief for public service roles.95% confidence
✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeTax credit explicitly targets law enforcement recruitment (police academy graduates), aiming to strengthen workforce retention in criminal justice sector.85% confidence
✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides $2,500 tax credit to recruit/retain teachers (with instructional/special ed certs), directly supporting educator workforce through financial incentives.90% confidence
✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill offers $2,500 tax credit specifically for healthcare professionals (e.g., RNs) to recruit/retain in PA, directly strengthening workforce availability and access to care.95% confidence
HB 795 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to require high schools (public, private, and parochial) to include at least four semesters of U.S. and Pennsylvania history and government courses in grades 7-12, emphasizing American republican principles. Starting with the 2026-2027 school year, these courses must also cover how victims suffered under specific authoritarian regimes - including Mao Zedong's China, Stalin's Soviet Union, Castro's Cuba, Lenin's Russia, Pol Pot's Cambodia, and Maduro's Venezuela - detailing impacts like poverty, starvation, and violence. The State Board of Education must issue implementing regulations by April 1, 2026, to enforce these curriculum requirements. This bill directly affects all Pennsylvania high schools and their students through mandated instructional content.
This bill amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to update grading policies in public schools. It requires school districts to establish grading systems that reflect a student's actual mastery of assignments, prohibits teachers from assigning minimum grades without considering work quality, and allows students to retake failing assignments for a revised grade. These changes apply to all public school students and teachers in Pennsylvania. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.
HB 794 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to clarify the definition of community colleges and update the State Board of Education's authority over them. The bill defines "community college" to include institutions offering two-year programs, career education, college-parallel courses, and services for high school students. It requires the State Board to set standards for facilities, curriculum, faculty, admission, and student enrollment, while allowing community colleges to award a bachelor's degree in nursing to students with an associate nursing degree. These changes directly affect Pennsylvania community colleges and their students by standardizing operations and expanding degree options.
HB 1253 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to strengthen school safety and student support systems. It updates definitions to include charter schools and nonpublic schools in reporting requirements, mandating standardized forms for schools to report incidents of violence and weapons on school property (including school-sponsored activities and transportation). The bill requires the School Safety and Security Committee to verify school compliance with reporting rules, publish an annual safety report by November 1, and develop a model agreement between schools and law enforcement that must be reviewed every three years. These changes directly affect public and nonpublic schools, their administrators, and local law enforcement agencies.
HB 776 requires Pennsylvania high school students to score at least 60% on a civic knowledge assessment to graduate or earn a general equivalency diploma, starting in the 2028-2029 school year. The bill amends the Public School Code to add this graduation requirement, which applies to all students except those with an individualized education program (IEP) if their IEP specifies an exemption. The assessment measures knowledge of civic topics like government structure and citizenship. This policy directly affects all Pennsylvania public high school students seeking graduation or a general equivalency diploma.
HB 987 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities at public institutions of higher education, including state universities, community colleges, and state-related schools like Penn State and Temple. The bill prohibits requiring ideological statements (such as race-based declarations or DEI-related views), bans DEI offices and staff, mandates specific language in mission statements and handbooks, and restricts DEI-related training and spending. Public institutions must report compliance annually starting December 2025, and the bill allows tenure revocation for DEI violations. It explicitly excludes academic coursework, research, student organizations, and guest speakers from these restrictions.
SB 492 requires Pennsylvania colleges and universities to include suicide prevention resources on student identification cards. Specifically, physical student IDs must display "988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline" prominently, while digital IDs must include this information alongside other crisis resources like the National Sexual Assault Hotline or campus health contacts. Institutions must annually update all contact information on IDs to ensure accuracy and replace outdated numbers within 30 days. Schools without physical or digital IDs must distribute this information through other means. The bill directly affects all Pennsylvania higher education institutions and their students by embedding critical crisis resources into routine student identification.
