Education (Testing & Assessment)

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Aug 26, 2026

SB 1445: An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, providing for the Pennsylvania Learning Investment Tax Credit Program.

Pennsylvania SB 1445 establishes the Learning Investment Tax Credit Program, which provides a refundable tax credit of $8,000 per child for qualified education expenses. The program is available to parents or legal guardians with annual incomes up to 300% of the area median gross income who have school-age children not enrolled in public schools. Eligible expenses include private school tuition, textbooks, tutoring, educational software, and standardized test fees. The total amount of credits awarded is capped at $300 million per fiscal year, with a mechanism to increase this cap by 25% if the previous year's usage reaches 90% of the limit.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates a tax credit for private education expenses, expanding educational access and funding options for families not in public schools.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Choice Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 31, 2026

HB 2354: 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 evaluation of applications for certification.

This Pennsylvania bill directs the Department of Education to create a one-time fee waiver for teacher certification applicants who narrowly failed an assessment. To qualify, an individual must have missed the passing score by three points or fewer, have taken the test only once before, and plan to retake it within one year of seeing their initial results. The Department is required to publish this policy online and share it with teacher training programs and alternative certification providers. The law takes effect 60 days after being signed into law.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill reduces financial barriers for teacher certification, expanding access to the teaching profession and supporting educator recruitment.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers Testing & Assessment

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jul 22, 2025

HB 1407: 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 instructional certificate grade spans and age levels and duties of department and providing for instructional certificate grade spans and age levels; and abrogating a regulation .

HB 1407 updates Pennsylvania's teacher certification rules, effective July 1, 2027. It establishes new grade spans for certificates: "Primary" (pre-K through grade 6), "Secondary" (grades 7-12), and "Specialized" (pre-K through grade 12). Current teachers with early childhood certificates can add grades 5-6 by passing an assessment or earning continuing education credits, while those with elementary/middle certificates can expand to grades 7-12 using similar pathways. The bill also requires teacher preparation programs to adjust coursework and field placements for early childhood certification, and abrogates outdated regulations inconsistent with these changes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationUpdates teacher certification rules to expand grade spans and provide pathways for educators, strengthening teacher qualifications and flexibility within K-12 education framework.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Teachers Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jun 3, 2025

SB 791: 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, further providing for school districts lying in more than one county or in more than one municipality and limitation on total tax revenues.

SB 791 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to provide new methods for school districts that span multiple counties or municipalities to calculate and standardize property tax revenues. It directly affects these multi-jurisdictional school districts by offering four options to set uniform tax rates across counties, including using market value calculations or adhering to statewide assessment ratios. The key mechanisms include requiring tax ratios to be uniform across counties, allowing districts to select the lowest assessment ratio for consistency, or adopting uniform millage rates under specific conditions. This aims to simplify tax collection and ensure fair revenue distribution for districts operating across county lines.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill standardizes tax revenue calculations for multi-county school districts, improving funding structure and supporting equitable education funding.80% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jan 22, 2025

SB 139: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in pupils and attendance, providing for exception from compulsory education for certain children with disabilities.

SB 139 allows parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder to request a one-year waiver from Pennsylvania's compulsory school attendance requirements for the 2025-2026 school year. To qualify, the child must have a recent clinical diagnosis, a medical assessment recommending intensive early intervention, and proof the services will continue during the waiver. If approved, the child remains eligible for early intervention services under state law, and parents retain the right to enroll them in school anytime during the waiver period. The waiver does not provide compensatory education for the time the child is not in school.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands educational access for children with autism by waiving compulsory attendance requirements to enable early intervention services, ensuring continued eligibility for state support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Nov 17, 2025

HB 2039: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in preliminary provisions, providing for innovative assessment and accountability demonstration authority.

HB 2039 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to establish a process for the state to seek federal demonstration authority under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). It requires the Department of Education to develop an innovative assessment system - potentially including competency-based or performance-based evaluations - through public hearings and a 30-day comment period before May 1, 2026. The bill mandates submitting a federal application by that date to replace or supplement current standardized testing requirements. This procedural bill directly affects Pennsylvania public schools by enabling a new framework for measuring student achievement, pending federal approval.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes process for innovative K-12 assessment system under ESSA, strengthening accountability measures without restricting curriculum or funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jul 10, 2025

SB 930: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in student supports, further providing for definitions; in school safety and security, further providing for definitions, for School Safety and Security Committee, for school safety and security assessment providers, for School Safety and Security Grant Program, for school safety and security coordinator, for school safety and security training and for reporting and memorandum of understanding; in school security, further providing for training, for school resource officers, for school security guards and for duties of commission; in Safe2Say Program, further providing for intent, for definitions, for Safe2Say Program and for annual report; in threat assessment, further providing for definitions, for threat assessment teams and for threat assessment guidelines, training and information materials; and making editorial changes.

SB 930 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to strengthen school safety and security systems. It establishes a School Safety and Security Committee, requires schools to appoint coordinators for safety planning, and mandates annual training for staff on topics like cyber safety, active shooter drills, and mental health awareness. The bill creates a grant program funding mental health services and cyber security measures (e.g., preventing data breaches), with funds restricted to these purposes. Schools must report safety meeting attendance and security personnel details annually, starting in 2026, to their boards of directors. These changes directly affect public school districts, charter schools, and their administrators.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates School Safety Grant Program funding mental health and cyber security services, allocating state funds for public safety programs.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates grant program for mental health/cybersecurity services and mandates safety training, strengthening school safety infrastructure under education framework.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates grant program funding mental health services and mental health awareness training in schools, directly advancing healthcare access through school-based mental health initiatives.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates cyber safety training and funds cybersecurity measures (e.g., preventing data breaches) to protect student data within school systems.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 19, 2025

HR 138: A Resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on the state of civic education in Pennsylvania and develop recommendations on cost-efficient, feasible steps that the Commonwealth can adopt to increase the accessibility and quality of civic education opportunities for students.

This resolution (HR 138) orders Pennsylvania’s Joint State Government Commission to study civic education in the state and develop cost-effective recommendations to improve it. It directly affects Pennsylvania students and schools by requiring an analysis of current civics assessments (under Act 35 of 2018), comparisons with high-performing states, and strategies to strengthen civic education across three pillars: knowledge, skills, and action. The study must include evaluations of existing assessment methods, successful models from other states, and approaches to boost student engagement, with a report due within 18 months. The resolution does not change laws but aims to inform future policy based on evidence.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates study to develop recommendations improving civic education quality/access, directly aligning with support indicators for enhancing student programs and educational access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 25, 2025

HB 727: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions, for Keystone Exams and graduation requirements and for special provisions applicable to the Keystone Exams, graduation requirements and alternative competency assessment; in district superintendents and assistant district superintendents, further providing for performance review; in professional employees, further providing for definitions; in pupils and attendance, further providing for assisting students experiencing education instability; in E-chievement Program, further providing for definitions; and, in educational tax credits, further providing for definitions.

This bill amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to replace the Keystone Exams with the ACT test for high school graduation requirements in algebra I, literature, and biology, effective July 1, 2027. After that date, students must meet proficiency through the ACT or alternative pathways, including completing local coursework, scoring well on Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams, or providing evidence of postsecondary readiness. The bill updates definitions to include the ACT test and clarifies how students can demonstrate proficiency without taking the Keystone Exams. It directly affects Pennsylvania high school students and school districts responsible for implementing graduation requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill replaces Keystone Exams with ACT and offers alternative pathways (AP/IB, coursework) for graduation, enhancing flexibility and college readiness in K-12 education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Testing & Assessment

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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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