Education

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 23, 2025

HB 1288: 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 foreign language.

HB 1288 requires Pennsylvania public schools to provide foreign language instruction for all students in kindergarten through grade twelve starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The state Department of Education must develop a toolkit and curriculum guidelines for teaching foreign languages by that time. School districts will then create their own foreign language programs using this state-developed resource, with flexibility to choose a language that aligns with their community's demographics.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates foreign language curriculum expansion for all K-12 students, requiring state-developed resources to enhance educational programming and access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 9, 2025

HB 1714: 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, further providing for when provided.

HB 1714 updates Pennsylvania's school transportation rules under the Public School Code. It requires school districts to provide free transportation for public school students to and from school (within 10 miles, with exceptions for career schools and field trips), and extends this same free transportation requirement to nonprofit nonpublic schools during their regular school hours. The bill also allows districts to use local funds for urban mass transit to cover school transportation costs without state reimbursement, and mandates the State Board of Education to set school bus driver qualifications. Finally, it prohibits districts from funding transportation to schools located outside Pennsylvania.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates free school transportation for public/nonprofit nonpublic students, directly enhancing educational access by removing transportation barriers for K-12 attendance.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationMandates free school transportation using public transit, extends to nonpublic schools, and allows urban mass transit funding for school transport, directly advancing public transit infrastructure use.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Transportation Public Transit

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 21, 2025

HB 1131: 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 prohibited substances in competitive foods.

HB 1131 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to prohibit public schools from selling or offering competitive foods containing specific artificial dyes during the school day. The bill bans six dyes (Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) in foods sold on school grounds that compete with federally reimbursable meals like school lunches. It defines "competitive food" as any food sold during school hours that competes with National School Lunch Program meals. The prohibition applies to all public schools in Pennsylvania and takes effect July 1, 2027. This is a direct policy change restricting certain food additives in school food sales, not a health recommendation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill prohibits artificial dyes in school foods under school health services, promoting student health within educational environment per Public School Code amendments.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jan 22, 2025

SB 84: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in construction and renovation of buildings by school entities, further providing for definitions and for building condition assessments.

SB 84 requires Pennsylvania school entities (including districts, charter schools, and career centers) to conduct detailed facility condition assessments every seven years, starting in 2026. These assessments must cover building structural components, mechanical systems, safety features (like secure vestibules and escape routes), environmental hazards (asbestos, lead), and projected maintenance costs for seven years and facility improvements for five years. Schools that complete the assessments receive a 2% funding boost for grants, while those that fail to comply lose eligibility for certain state funding under the Fiscal Code and school construction programs. The bill defines key terms like "maintenance costs" and "total project costs" to standardize reporting requirements for facility management.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates school facility assessments covering safety, maintenance, and infrastructure needs, directly improving school building conditions and safety standards.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires school facility safety assessments addressing workplace hazards (asbestos, structural risks) and safety features, aligning with workplace safety protections under Labor & Employment.85% confidence

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 5, 2026

HB 1045: 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, further providing for seizure recognition and related first aid training.

HB 1045 requires Pennsylvania school nurses and other school staff with direct student contact to complete Department of Health-approved training on seizure recognition and first aid starting in the 2025-2026 school year, with training required every two years thereafter. The bill mandates specific content about identifying seizures, using seizure action plans, and providing basic first aid. It also clarifies that school staff providing seizure-related care are protected from civil liability under existing Good Samaritan laws (42 Pa.C.S. §§ 8332 and 8337.1). This bill directly affects all public school staff in Pennsylvania who work with students and aims to improve emergency response for students with seizure disorders.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates seizure training for school staff, enhancing student safety and health protocols within K-12 schools, aligning with educational safety standards.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates seizure recognition training for school staff to improve emergency response, strengthening school health services under public health protocols.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 541: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school safety and security, providing for panic alerts.

This bill requires all Pennsylvania public schools to install panic alert systems in every building where students receive instruction during the school day. These systems must silently notify local law enforcement directly during security emergencies like active threats or lockdowns, with activation via devices such as buttons or apps. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and is named Alyssa's Law. It applies specifically to public elementary, middle, and high school campuses, not private or parochial schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires panic alert systems in public schools for safety, enhancing student/staff protection during emergencies in educational settings.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Safety

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passed · Pennsylvania · Senate Jul 17, 2025

SB 877: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in career and technical education, further providing for Barber Training Through Career and Technical Center Pilot Program.

SB 877 establishes a permanent Barber Training Program at Pennsylvania career and technical centers (CTCs) and secondary schools, replacing a previous pilot program. The bill requires participating schools to report annual training data to the State Board of Barber Examiners using a standardized form. It ensures all existing pilot program activities, rules, and contracts continue unchanged under the new permanent structure. This policy change directly affects CTCs and secondary schools offering barber training, formalizing their participation in state-approved barber education.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPermanently establishes barber training program in CTCs/secondary schools, enhancing vocational education access and student career pathways within the Public School Code framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Sep 12, 2025

SB 999: 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, further providing for seizure recognition and related first aid training.

SB 999 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to require school districts to provide training on recognizing seizures and administering first aid for seizure emergencies to appropriate staff. This directly affects school employees, including teachers and nurses, who may respond to student health incidents during school hours. The key provision mandates that this training be integrated into existing school health services programs. The bill aims to improve student safety by ensuring staff are equipped to handle seizure-related emergencies effectively.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates seizure recognition and first aid training for school staff, directly enhancing student safety within school health services under the educational environment.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates seizure recognition and first aid training for school staff to improve emergency health response, directly enhancing school-based health services.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates seizure recognition and first aid training for school staff, improving workplace safety for employees as required under school health services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Sep 29, 2025

HB 1890: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, establishing the Scratch Cooked Meals for Students Pilot Grant Program.

This bill creates a temporary grant program to fund public schools in Pennsylvania that prepare meals from scratch (rather than using pre-packaged or processed foods) for students. It directly affects public schools participating in the pilot, allowing them to apply for state grants to cover costs associated with preparing fresh meals. The key provision establishes the program under the Public School Code, requiring the state education department to administer the grants and evaluate the pilot's effectiveness. The goal is to test whether scratch-cooked meals improve student nutrition and school meal participation, with results informing potential future policy changes. (Note: Specific grant amounts, duration, and participating school criteria are not detailed in the provided context.)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates state grant program funding scratch-cooked school meals, increasing public education spending through direct appropriations.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates state grants for schools to fund scratch-cooked meals, enhancing student nutrition programs and school meal services under Public School Code.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 5, 2025

HB 495: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in charter schools, further providing for enrollment.

HB 495 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to change enrollment rules for charter schools and cyber charter schools. It prohibits school boards from imposing enrollment caps on these schools, except as explicitly agreed upon in the school's written charter. For charter schools located in a specific district, the bill allows a limited cap on students residing within that district, but only with approval from the local school board. This cap does not prevent charter schools from enrolling students from outside their district.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves enrollment caps for charter/cyber charter schools, expanding student access to alternative K-12 education options per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

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