SB 700 Pennsylvania Senate · 2023-2024 Regular Session

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 advertising and sponsorships; in intermediate units, further providing for school safety and security enhancements; in professional employees, further providing for qualifications; in certification of teachers, further providing for State certificates, for career and technical instruction and for baccalaureate certification basic skills assessment; in Educator Pipeline Support Grant Program, further providing for definitions, for program establishment and duties of agency, for eligibility and for report; in school safety and security, further providing for School Safety and Security Grant Program, for school safety and security coordinator, for Targeted School Safety Grants for Nonpublic Schools and School Entities Program and for school safety and security training and providing for school safety and mental health grants for 2024-2025 school year; in school security, further providing for duties of commission, providing for school security personnel and establishing School Security Personnel Fund; in school security, further providing for duties of commission and providing for school security personnel and for School Security Personnel Fund; in school health services, further providing for vision screening and examinations; in Drug and Alcohol Recovery High School Program, further providing for establishment and payment of tuition; in administrative partnerships between school entities, further providing for legislative intent and for definitions, providing for instructional programming partnerships authorized, for school district feasibility study and for construction and further providing for establishment, for application, for grant awards, for technical assistance, for reports by school entities and for reports by department; in talent recruitment, further providing for Talent Recruitment Account; in charter schools, further providing for definitions, for charter school requirements, for powers of board of trustees, for facilities and for funding for charter schools, providing for funding for cyber charter schools, further providing for enrollment and notification and providing for enrollee wellness checks and for applicability of other provisions of this act and of other acts and regulations; in disability inclusive curriculum, further providing for department responsibilities; in Schools-to-Work-Program, repealing provisions relating to expiration; in community colleges, further providing for financial program and reimbursement of payments; in educational tax credits, further providing for definitions, for qualification and application by organizations, for tax credits and for limitations, repealing provisions relating to opportunity scholarships and providing for economically disadvantaged school scholarships; in course materials at institutions of higher education, repealing provisions relating to College Textbook Policies Advisory Committee; in sexual violence, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking education, prevention and response at institutions of higher education and private licensed schools, further providing for memorandum of understanding; in miscellaneous provisions relating to institutions of higher education, repealing provisions relating to Public Higher Education Funding Commission; in funding for public libraries, providing for State aid for fiscal year 2024-2025; in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for payments on account of pupils enrolled in career and technical curriculums and for student-weighted basic education funding, providing for student-weighted basic education funding beginning with 2023-2024 school year, further providing for State reimbursement for health services, for payments to intermediate units, for assistance to school districts declared to be in financial recovery status or identified for financial watch status and for Commonwealth reimbursements for charter schools and cyber charter schools, repealing provisions relating to administrative and instructional consolidation incentives and further providing for Ready-to-Learn Block Grant; in State Board of Education, further providing for powers and duties of the board; in construction and renovation of buildings by school entities, further providing for applicability; in School Environmental Repairs Program, further providing for School Environmental Repairs Program Restricted Account and for School Environmental Repairs Program; and making editorial changes.

This bill amends the Public School Code of 1949 to update teacher certification requirements, specifically creating new pathways for career and technical education instructors. Under the new rules, individuals can qualify for teaching certificates by demonstrating extensive work experience, such as four years in a trade, or by combining two years of experience with a bachelor's degree. The legislation also establishes specific criteria for instructors with backgrounds as volunteer firefighters or emergency medical technicians, allowing them to teach related occupational skills if they have four years of service. Additionally, the bill modifies funding formulas for student-weighted basic education and adjusts provisions related to school safety, higher education, and library aid.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jun 2023
Committee Review
Jul 2024
Senate Passage
Jul 2024
House Passage
Jul 2024
Signed into Law
Jul 2024
Introduced Jun 14, 2023 Signed Jul 11, 2024
Floor votes · Senate Nov 14, 2023 · House Jul 11, 2024

How they voted

420
Passed
Total votes 42
Nov 14, 2023
D Democratic16
16 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican26
26 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
25
Key actions
10
Committee
9
Amendments
2
Jul 11, 2024
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor
upper
Jul 11, 2024
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred in House amendments
upper
Jul 11, 2024
Upper · Passed
Re-reported on concurrence, as committed
upper
Jul 11, 2024
Committee
Referred to Rules & Executive Nominations
upper
Jul 11, 2024
Lower · Passed
Third consideration and final passage
lower
Jul 11, 2024
Lower · Passed
Re-reported as amended
lower
Jul 11, 2024
Lower · Passed
Amended in House Committee on Appropriations
lower
Jul 2, 2024
Committee
Re-referred to Appropriations
lower
Jul 1, 2024
Lower · Passed
Reported as committed
lower
Nov 15, 2023
Committee
Referred to Education
lower
Nov 14, 2023
Upper · Passed
Third consideration and final passage
upper
Nov 13, 2023
Upper · Passed
Re-reported as committed
upper
Oct 25, 2023
Committee
Re-referred to Appropriations
upper
Oct 24, 2023
Upper · Passed
Reported as amended
upper
Jun 14, 2023
Committee
Referred to Education
upper
1 primary · 9 co-sponsors

Sponsors