Education

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 28, 2026

HB 2166: An Act amending the act of August 5, 1932 (Sp.Sess., P.L.45, No.45), referred to as the Sterling Act, providing for remittance by a city of the first class to a nonresident's resident municipality and school district.

HB 2166 requires cities of the first class in Pennsylvania (like Philadelphia) that collect a nonresident wage tax to remit an amount equal to the tax their home municipality would have collected on that income. This directly affects nonresident workers who live in one municipality but work in a city of the first class, ensuring their home municipality and school district receive the tax revenue they would have earned. The key mechanism mandates a direct transfer of funds to the nonresident's resident municipality and school district, calculated based on the tax the home municipality would impose on earned income and net profits. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill ensures nonresident workers' home school districts receive tax revenue they would have collected, directly increasing local education funding through tax remittance.85% confidence

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Dec 4, 2025

SB 1103: An Act providing for State aid requirement for libraries relating to book removal and for prohibited removal of instructional materials and voluntary inquiry materials in public school entities.

SB 1103 requires Pennsylvania public libraries and school libraries to adopt a policy against removing books or materials due to partisan or doctrinal disapproval to qualify for state aid, either by adopting the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights or creating a written policy. The bill prohibits public schools from removing required classroom materials or non-required materials (such as books for independent reading) for reasons including an author's race, gender identity, sexual orientation, political views, or content related to student educational needs. It specifically bans removals based on school board or complainant discomfort, personal morality, or religious views. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProhibits removing educational materials based on author's race/gender identity, protecting curriculum access and academic freedom in schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Libraries

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Dec 5, 2025

SB 299: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, providing for Pennsylvania Promise Program; and establishing the Pennsylvania Promise Program Fund.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates state-funded scholarship program increasing public education spending through the Pennsylvania Promise Program Fund.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates Pennsylvania Promise Program with tuition/fees scholarships for higher education, expanding access and funding for eligible students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Dec 12, 2025

HB 2099: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, providing for Delayed Payment Plan Program; establishing the Delayed Payment Plan Program Fund; and imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.

HB 2099 establishes a new Delayed Payment Plan Program to help eligible Pennsylvania residents attend specific colleges by covering tuition costs in exchange for paying a portion of their future income. The program, administered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), requires students to agree to remain in Pennsylvania for 10 years after graduation (or until tuition is repaid) and study in high-need fields. It uses a dedicated fund financed by state appropriations, private donations, and income payments from participants, with administrative costs capped at $400,000 in the first year. Initially targeting 15 community colleges and Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology for the 2025-2026 academic year, it may expand to other state institutions starting in 2026-2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes state-funded program via appropriations, allocating budget resources to support higher education access through dedicated fund financing.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes state-funded tuition coverage program to expand higher education access for eligible students in high-need fields, using state appropriations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Dec 3, 2025

HB 2079: An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, establishing the Budget Impasse Reimbursement Program.

HB 2079 establishes a program to reimburse eligible entities - such as school districts, counties, human services providers, Pre-K programs, and Head Start providers - for documented financing costs or lost interest income caused by delays in passing the state budget (defined as the period from July 1, 2025, until the 2025-2026 budget takes effect). The program is funded primarily by "impasse-generated interest" (interest earned from delayed state spending during the budget impasse), with the legislature providing additional funds if needed. The Office of the Budget will administer the program, including processing applications and reporting annually on reimbursements, funding sources, and recipient details.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReimburses entities for budget delay costs using impasse-generated interest, promoting fiscal responsibility by mitigating financial impacts of delayed appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationReimburses school districts, Pre-K, and Head Start programs for budget delay costs, directly funding education entities affected by fiscal impasses.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Early Childhood

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Dec 5, 2025

SB 1111: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school security, further providing for school security personnel.

SB 1111 requires Pennsylvania public schools to have trained security personnel on duty during school hours. Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, each school district must employ at least one full-time security officer who has completed state-approved training. By the 2026-2027 school year, every individual school building must have such an officer present during school hours, unless a waiver is granted. The bill mandates consistent security staffing without specifying new training content, relying on existing state standards.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires trained security personnel in schools to enhance safety, directly supporting school protection under education policy framework.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 18, 2026

HB 2084: 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; providing for Pennsylvania Promise Program; and establishing the Pennsylvania Promise Program Fund.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes dedicated fund for tuition scholarships, increasing state budget allocation for public education programs.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates state-funded college scholarships for tuition/fees/room/board, expanding access to higher education for PA residents meeting income/FAFSA criteria.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Dec 9, 2025

HB 2095: 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 mandate waiver program.

HB 2095 creates a program allowing Pennsylvania school districts to request waivers from specific requirements of the Public School Code, regulations, or standards. School districts must adopt a board resolution to apply, or intermediate units can apply for multiple districts if all member districts approve. The Department of Education must review applications within 60 days (automatic approval if no decision is made), and districts must submit evaluations after five years to renew waivers showing improved student performance or operations. Certain provisions, such as those related to student safety and assessments, are explicitly exempt from waiver requests.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates waiver program reducing regulatory burden for school districts, enhancing flexibility in Public School Code compliance without restricting educational access or funding.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Dec 10, 2025

SB 1116: 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 communism education.

SB 1116 requires Pennsylvania public schools to provide age-appropriate instruction on communism beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. It mandates teaching the origins of communist ideology, historical communist regimes, documented human rights abuses under such systems, survivor accounts, and comparisons between communist governance and U.S. democratic principles (including constitutional protections and freedoms). The Pennsylvania Department of Education must develop and distribute curriculum materials, primary sources, and teacher training by May 2026, integrating lessons into existing courses like history and civics. Schools must report annually on implementation, with all materials and summaries made publicly available online. The bill defines "communism" as a political ideology advocating for centralized economic control and one-party rule, and "totalitarian ideology" as systems suppressing dissent and individual freedoms.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates new required curriculum content on communism, enhancing educational coverage of political ideologies per topic description.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Teachers

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 190: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school health services, providing for eating disorder awareness and education.

HB 190 requires Pennsylvania schools to annually provide eating disorder awareness and education materials to parents, guardians, and key school staff (like counselors and principals) for students in grades 6-12. The bill mandates that schools share this information via email, mail, or website, using materials developed by the Department of Health in collaboration with an advisory committee of experts from groups like the National Alliance for Eating Disorders and school health organizations. These materials must explain warning signs, resources, prevention, and be available in multiple languages. The law directly affects all public, charter, cyber, and nonpublic schools in Pennsylvania, aiming to improve early recognition and support for students facing eating disorders.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates school health education on eating disorders for grades 6-12, enhancing student well-being and school health services under education topic. Directly advances educational health support.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates school-based eating disorder awareness/education, directly supporting mental health services through prevention and education as part of school health programs.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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