Education (Higher Education)

passed · Pennsylvania · Senate Oct 8, 2025

SB 432: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in the State System of Higher Education, providing for educational opportunities for foster and adopted children.

SB 432 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to create new educational pathways for foster and adopted children attending state universities and colleges. The bill requires public higher education institutions to develop and implement specific support programs, including academic advising and financial aid coordination, for eligible students who were in foster care or adopted. It directly affects current and future foster youth and adopted children pursuing higher education within Pennsylvania's public university system. Key provisions establish standardized support mechanisms to improve access and retention for this population in state-funded institutions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates support programs (academic advising, financial aid) for foster/adopted youth in higher education, directly expanding access and resources for this vulnerable group.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jan 22, 2025

SB 59: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in community colleges, further providing for definitions, for powers and duties of State Board of Education and for degrees.

SB 59 clarifies Pennsylvania's definition of "community college" to explicitly include programs like career training, college-parallel courses, and credit courses for high school students. It grants the State Board of Education authority to set mandatory standards for community college facilities, curriculum, faculty qualifications, student enrollment, and degree requirements. The bill also requires the State Board to prescribe all types of diplomas and certificates awarded by community colleges and permits them to offer nursing bachelor's degrees to students with associate's in nursing. This directly affects community colleges and their students across Pennsylvania.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationClarifies community college definition to include career training/high school courses, mandates State Board standards for curriculum/faculty, and requires diploma/certificate prescriptions, expanding access and strengthening educational standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education K-12 Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Nov 12, 2025

SB 10: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, establishing the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success Scholarship Program and the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success Scholarship Fund.

SB 10 establishes the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success Scholarship Program (PASS), providing financial assistance to low-income students attending nonpublic schools. It directly affects eligible students in Pennsylvania who live in households below 250% of the federal poverty level, attend or reside within the attendance boundary of a low-achieving public school, and have not earned a high school diploma. The program, administered by the State Treasury starting in the 2026-2027 school year, covers tuition, school-related fees, and special education services at participating nonpublic schools. School districts must notify parents of eligible students about the program within 15 days of a school being designated "low-achieving."

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes state-funded scholarship program (PASS) for low-income students, increasing education budget allocation through State Treasury administration.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates PASS scholarship program funding low-income students in nonpublic schools, expanding educational access and providing direct financial support for underserved populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 27, 2025

HB 360: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in postsecondary institution sexual harassment and sexual violence policy and online reporting system, further providing for policy for postsecondary institution sexual harassment and sexual violence.

HB 360 requires Pennsylvania colleges and universities to adopt clear written policies addressing sexual harassment and sexual violence. These policies must inform victims of their legal rights, meet or exceed a state model, include specific investigation timelines, and provide protections for victims and witnesses during investigations. The bill directly affects all postsecondary institutions in Pennsylvania by mandating standardized, legally compliant procedures for handling such incidents. It does not change criminal law or provide new victim services, but sets requirements for institutional policy and process. The bill is pending in the Education Committee as introduced in January 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates standardized safety policies for postsecondary institutions, enhancing student protection and institutional accountability in educational settings.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House May 12, 2025

HB 1401: 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, providing for educator preparation admission.

House Bill 1401 amends the Public School Code of 1949 by establishing new admission requirements for educator preparation programs. It mandates that applicants for initial preparation programs leading to a bachelor's degree must have completed at least 48 college credit hours with a minimum 2.8 GPA. Applicants for alternative programs must hold a bachelor's degree with a 2.8 GPA, and advanced program applicants need a 2.8 GPA along with professional recommendations. Preparing institutions may admit up to 10% of initial preparation applicants who do not meet the GPA requirement, provided other eligibility criteria are met. These provisions directly affect individuals aspiring to become teachers and the institutions that train them.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationSets minimum academic standards (48 credits, 2.8 GPA) for teacher preparation programs, strengthening educator quality and aligning with supporting educators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Teachers

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 20, 2025

HB 613: 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.

HB 613 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to require a public comparison tool for higher education institutions to include each school's endowment data. This change directly affects students, families, and researchers who use the tool to compare colleges, as it adds financial transparency about institutional resources. The bill mandates that the existing comparison tool must allow users to identify and compare institutions based on endowment size, alongside other metrics. It does not alter college operations or funding but expands available data for informed decision-making. The requirement becomes effective 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates endowment transparency in college comparison tool, enhancing access to financial data for informed educational decisions.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 19, 2025

HB 963: An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, providing for Apprentice Education Expense Tax Credit Program and for powers of the Department of Revenue.

HB 963 creates a new tax credit program in Pennsylvania for employers covering educational expenses of apprentices. It allows employers to claim tax credits for up to $3,500 per qualifying apprentice toward tuition, books, and lab fees at eligible PA schools. To qualify, apprentices must be PA residents, at least 16, enrolled full-time in a U.S. Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship program, and employed by the claiming employer in Pennsylvania. The Department of Revenue administers the program, requiring electronic applications and setting eligibility criteria for schools and apprentices. This policy directly affects PA employers in registered apprenticeship programs and their apprentices pursuing postsecondary training.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates tax credit reducing employer tax liability for apprentice education expenses, providing direct tax relief and promoting workforce development through fiscal incentive.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates tax credit for employers covering apprentices' educational expenses (tuition, books, fees), directly expanding vocational training access. Aligns with topic's 'educational access' focus by reducing cost barriers for apprentices.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill creates tax credits for employer-paid apprentice education, advancing workforce development and training opportunities under labor/employment policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Higher Education Apprenticeships

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 22, 2025

HB 224: 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.

HB 224 requires Pennsylvania's Department of Education to create an online comparison tool for higher education institutions. The tool must allow users to search colleges by major and compare high-priority occupations in Pennsylvania, including county-level data on required education, wages, and job demand. Pennsylvania colleges must annually submit relevant data (via existing federal reports) to the Department by January 1st to update the tool. This bill directly affects public and private colleges in Pennsylvania and students seeking education-to-career pathways.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates a college comparison tool linking majors to job data, enhancing student access to informed higher education decisions and workforce alignment.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Higher Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 3, 2025

HB 794: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in community colleges, further providing for definitions, for powers and duties of State Board of Education and for degrees.

HB 794 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to clarify the definition of community colleges and update the State Board of Education's authority over them. The bill defines "community college" to include institutions offering two-year programs, career education, college-parallel courses, and services for high school students. It requires the State Board to set standards for facilities, curriculum, faculty, admission, and student enrollment, while allowing community colleges to award a bachelor's degree in nursing to students with an associate nursing degree. These changes directly affect Pennsylvania community colleges and their students by standardizing operations and expanding degree options.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationClarifies community college definitions, sets standards for curriculum/facilities, and enables bachelor's degree offerings, expanding educational access and strengthening oversight in higher education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education K-12 Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Mar 21, 2025

SB 492: An Act amending Title 24 (Education) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in suicide prevention in institutions of higher education, further providing for definitions and providing for required suicide prevention and crisis management information.

SB 492 requires Pennsylvania colleges and universities to include suicide prevention resources on student identification cards. Specifically, physical student IDs must display "988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline" prominently, while digital IDs must include this information alongside other crisis resources like the National Sexual Assault Hotline or campus health contacts. Institutions must annually update all contact information on IDs to ensure accuracy and replace outdated numbers within 30 days. Schools without physical or digital IDs must distribute this information through other means. The bill directly affects all Pennsylvania higher education institutions and their students by embedding critical crisis resources into routine student identification.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates suicide prevention resources on student IDs in higher education, enhancing student mental health support within educational institutions.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates suicide prevention resources on student IDs, improving access to mental health crisis services per bill's explicit requirements.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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