Education

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Aug 15, 2025

SB 973: 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 early human life development education.

SB 973 requires Pennsylvania public and private schools to provide early human life development education to students in grades 9-12 starting in the 2026-2027 school year, integrated into biology courses. The bill mandates specific content, including a minimum five-minute ultrasound video showing fetal development at 8, 12, 17, 22, 27, 32, and 37 weeks' gestation, and an animated rendering of fertilization and pregnancy stages. It also requires age-appropriate instruction on how drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and narcotics affect pregnancy and fetal health. The law applies to all school entities (districts, charter schools, etc.) and directly affects students in those grade levels.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationMandates specific curriculum content (fetal development videos) in biology, restricting academic freedom and curriculum choice in K-12 education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 24, 2025

HB 1404: 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 certificates qualifying persons to teach, for standard employment application, for career and technical instructional certificate and for postbaccalaureate certification; and abrogating regulations.

HB 1404 amends Pennsylvania's teacher certification rules to create new pathways for career-changers and technical educators. It establishes a "Career and Technical Second Career Certificate" valid for up to five years while completing 18 semester hours in an approved program, and adds "Career and Technical Intern" and "Career and Technical Instructional" certificates for those with occupational experience. The bill replaces outdated regulations (22 Pa. Code Ch. 49) and requires postbaccalaureate programs to offer flexible training for candidates with bachelor's degrees in relevant fields. These changes directly affect individuals seeking teaching roles in career and technical education programs who lack traditional teaching credentials.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates new teacher certification pathways (Career and Technical certificates) for career-changers and technical educators, expanding recruitment options to strengthen K-12 teacher workforce.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Teachers

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 21, 2025

HB 1474: 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, providing for requirements for significant reduction of operations of State-related universities.

HB 1474 requires Pennsylvania's state-related universities (including Penn State, Pitt, Temple, and Lincoln University) to create detailed plans before closing branch campuses or significantly reducing operations. The bill mandates that universities submit plans including financial analysis, community impact studies, student impact reports, and access alternatives to the board, followed by a 90-day public comment period with at least three public hearings. Before any closure can proceed, the plan must be approved by the full General Assembly, not just the university board. This directly affects students, rural communities reliant on branch campuses, and local economies by adding legislative oversight to campus closures. The law applies to all state-related universities and their branch campuses starting with the 2025-2026 academic year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates detailed plans with community impact studies and access alternatives before campus closures, protecting student access and preventing abrupt service reductions in higher education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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passed · Pennsylvania · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 310: 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, providing for Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Senate Bill 310 mandates that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, high school students in Pennsylvania's public, nonpublic, and private schools must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before graduating. Students or their parents/legal guardians can choose to opt out of filing the FAFSA by submitting a state-developed form to their school. Schools are responsible for providing this opt-out form and may exempt students if they cannot be reached and no FAFSA or opt-out form is submitted. The bill clarifies that schools do not require personal financial information from students or families, and any inadvertently obtained information is not a public record.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates FAFSA filing to expand college access, directly advancing educational access for students transitioning to higher education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 2, 2025

HB 1376: 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 school-based health centers.

HB 1376 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to establish standards for school-based health centers in public, private, and parochial schools. It requires these centers to provide accessible care without denying services based on payment ability, insurance status, or health conditions, while coordinating with students' existing primary care providers. Centers must offer a full range of services with proper parental consent, minimize barriers to care, and maintain confidentiality per federal law. The bill also creates a statewide advisory council and a department liaison to oversee implementation and ensure centers align with student needs like age, demographics, and community resources.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates accessible school health centers without financial/insurance barriers, directly enhancing educational access and student well-being per Public School Code amendment.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates non-discriminatory school-based health centers with full services, no denial based on payment/insurance, and confidentiality, expanding healthcare access for students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Children's Health Primary Care

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Apr 17, 2026

HB 1706: 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 student mental health awareness.

HB 1706 requires Pennsylvania schools to integrate student mental health awareness into existing health education standards and school operations. It mandates the State Board of Education to update health standards, the Department of Health and Education to develop public guidelines on mental health warning signs for students and families, and schools to notify students and parents twice yearly about local mental health services. The bill also requires school entities to report student absences or injuries in activities to student assistance programs and directs the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association to add mental health training to coach certification by the 2025-2026 school year. This bill directly affects all public, private, and parochial schools in Pennsylvania, their students, families, and athletic staff.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates mental health awareness integration into school health curriculum and services, enhancing student well-being support within education framework.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates mental health awareness integration in schools, updates health standards, and provides resources for students/families, directly supporting mental health services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 16, 2025

HB 1605: An Act amending Titles 24 (Education) and 71 (State Government) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in membership, contributions and benefits, further providing for creditable nonschool service; and, in membership, credited service, classes of service, and eligibility for benefits, further providing for creditable nonstate service.

HB 1605 would amend Pennsylvania's retirement laws for public employees by expanding what counts as "creditable service" toward benefits. Specifically, it would allow education employees to include non-school service (such as work in non-school educational programs) and state government employees to include non-state service (such as local government work) in their retirement calculations. This change would directly affect public workers in education and state government retirement systems who have held diverse employment roles outside traditional school or state government settings. The bill is currently pending in the State Government committee.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands retirement benefits for education employees by including non-school service, directly supporting educators' financial security and retention.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands retirement benefits for public employees by including non-school/non-state service, strengthening employment benefits for education/state government workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 3, 2025

HB 786: An Act amending Title 51 (Military Affairs) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in educational gratuity program, further providing for eligibility and qualification requirements.

HB 786 changes Pennsylvania's educational gratuity program to require only one year of Pennsylvania residency immediately before applying, down from the previous five-year requirement. The program provides financial assistance to children of disabled or deceased veterans who are between 16 and 23 years old. This amendment, effective 60 days after enactment, simplifies eligibility by reducing the residency threshold for qualifying applicants.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationReduces residency requirement for veterans' children's education grants, expanding access to financial aid for higher education95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransReduces residency requirement for veterans' children's education benefits, expanding access to program by lowering eligibility barrier from 5 to 1 year.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 4, 2025

SB 547: 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 continuing professional development; providing for access to advanced courses for all students; establishing the Access to Advanced Courses for All Students Grant Program; and imposing duties on the Department of Education.

SB 547 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to expand access to advanced courses for secondary students (grades 7-12) and support school entities in meeting new benchmarks. It establishes the "Access to Advanced Courses for All Students Grant Program" to fund educator training, exam fee assistance for students, and nationally normed assessments. Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, schools must report course offerings and student participation, while the Department of Education will set access benchmarks and identify schools needing support. The bill directly affects school districts, charter schools, and their students by requiring expanded opportunities in core academic areas like math, science, and computer science. It also adds new teacher professional development options, including workplace visits and advanced coursework coaching.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes grant program for advanced course access, educator training, and exam fees, expanding student opportunities and supporting schools per bill's explicit provisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 27, 2025

HB 352: An Act amending the act of August 5, 1932 (Sp.Sess., P.L.45, No.45), referred to as the Sterling Act, further providing for remittance by a city of the first class to a nonresident's resident municipality and school district.

HB 352 requires cities of the first class (like Philadelphia) to send tax money collected from nonresident workers back to the municipality and school district where those workers live. It directly affects people who work in large cities but reside in smaller towns or municipalities outside the city limits. The bill mandates that cities remit an amount equal to the tax their nonresident employees would have paid to their home municipality and school district, changing how wage tax revenue is distributed. This is a concrete policy change to the 1932 Sterling Act, not a procedural or commemorative measure.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill directs tax remittance from cities to home school districts, increasing local education funding without explicit restrictions.90% confidence

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