Education (Special Education)

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 15, 2026

HB 2697: 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 exceptional children and education and training.

This bill modifies Pennsylvania's Public School Code to clarify who must prove their case during special education disputes. Specifically, it states that school districts generally bear the burden of proof in due process hearings involving exceptional children, unless the parents unilaterally chose a private school placement, in which case the parents must provide the proof. The law applies to situations concerning a child's identification, evaluation, classification, placement, or disciplinary actions. The changes are designed to streamline legal procedures by explicitly defining these responsibilities rather than leaving them open to interpretation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill clarifies burden of proof in special education disputes, strengthening protections for exceptional children and ensuring fair access to education services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 6, 2026

HB 2358: 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 funding for cyber charter schools.

This bill updates Pennsylvania's Public School Code to clarify funding rules for cyber charter schools. It mandates that these schools cannot charge tuition to students who live in or outside the state, with one specific exception. Under this exception, a local school district does not have to pay the tuition for its own students if those students attend an outside cyber charter school instead of the district's own online program. To qualify for this exemption, the district's online program must meet specific standards set by the state department, such as offering in-person orientation, verifying residency, tracking attendance, providing technical support, and assigning case managers for special education needs. The changes will become effective 60 days after the bill is passed.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill clarifies funding rules for cyber charter schools and mandates tuition-free access, expanding educational options and support for students.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates free tuition for cyber charter schools, expanding access to online education and digital learning resources.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Choice Special Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 18, 2026

HB 2424: 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 funding for charter schools.

This Pennsylvania bill amends the Public School Code to clarify special education evaluation procedures for students enrolled in charter schools. Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, the local school district of residence will conduct initial disability evaluations for these students rather than the charter school. The district or an intermediate unit must issue a report on eligibility and service recommendations to parents and the charter school entity. While intermediate units can charge fees for these evaluations, charter schools remain responsible for providing the special education services outlined in the report.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill clarifies special education evaluation procedures for charter school students, ensuring they receive proper assessments and services, thereby protecting educational access and compliance.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice Special Education

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 22, 2026

HB 2307: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for extraordinary special education program expenses.

This bill creates a new funding mechanism for Pennsylvania school districts and charter schools to cover extraordinary special education expenses for students with disabilities. It allocates one percent of the state special education appropriation annually from 2016-2017 through 2025-2026, then increases this to two percent starting in 2026-2027, with specific rules for how funds are distributed based on student enrollment duration and expense levels. The legislation covers costs for specialized services including transportation, therapy, and mobility training, while establishing caps and prioritization rules to ensure equitable distribution across districts.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates new funding mechanism for special education expenses, increasing state appropriation allocation from 1% to 2% annually, directly supporting budget and education funding.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes new funding mechanism for special education expenses, increasing allocation from 1% to 2% of state appropriation to support students with disabilities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations School Funding Special Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 10, 2026

HB 2275: 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 exceptional children, education and training.

This bill amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to set a strict 60-day deadline for schools to complete initial disability evaluations for students after receiving parental consent. It directly affects school districts, private schools, and other educational organizations that provide services to children with disabilities, while explicitly excluding charter schools from this requirement. The law requires schools to provide parents with a copy of the completed evaluation within this timeframe and takes effect 60 days after passage.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates timely disability evaluations for students, enhancing educational access and services for exceptional children, though it excludes charter schools.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 4, 2026

HB 2168: An Act amending the act of December 19, 1990 (P.L.1372, No.212), known as the Early Intervention Services System Act, in Statewide system for provision of early intervention services, further providing for administration by Department of Education.

HB 2168 amends Pennsylvania's Early Intervention Services System Act to clarify how state funds support early intervention services for children in private special education schools. It specifies that for children not eligible for public kindergarten programs, the state covers the full cost of their services, while for children eligible for public kindergarten, the state covers only the extra cost (above what public schools would pay). This change ensures funding aligns with each child's eligibility for public school services. The bill directly affects children receiving early intervention services and the Department of Education's budgeting for these programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationClarifies state funding for early intervention services in private special ed schools, ensuring full/partial coverage based on eligibility to strengthen educational access for children.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill clarifies state funding for early intervention healthcare services, ensuring full coverage for ineligible children and partial coverage for eligible ones, strengthening access to medical support for children.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood K-12 Education Special Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 4, 2026

HB 2169: An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, making editorial changes to delete references to "approved private school" for the purpose of adding references to "approved special education school."

HB 2169 amends Pennsylvania's Fiscal Code to update terminology in funding provisions for special education schools. It replaces references to "approved private school" with "approved special education school" in Section 1923(5), which governs how funds from the Public School Code (Section 2509.8) are allocated. The bill directly affects approved special education schools with day tuition under $32,000, requiring funding to be no less than 175% of the 2015-2016 allocation. This is a technical correction to align statutory language with current educational terminology, with no change to the underlying funding mechanism or eligibility criteria.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates 175% funding for special education schools, strengthening program support within Fiscal Code appropriations.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates minimum 175% funding for approved special education schools, updating terminology to ensure continued support and addressing allocation requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Funding Special Education

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 6, 2025

HB 1500: 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 Cyber Charter School Funding and Policy Council and further providing for advertising and sponsorships; in pupils and attendance, further providing for exceptional children and education and training; in charter schools, further providing for definitions, for funding for cyber charter schools, for powers and duties of department and for assessment and evaluation, providing for fund balance limits, further providing for cyber charter school requirements and prohibitions, providing for cyber charter school fund balance accountability, further providing for establishment of cyber charter school, for cyber charter school application, for enrollment and notification, for enrollee wellness checks and for applicability of other provisions of this act and of other acts and regulations and providing for cyber charter school moratorium; and, in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for extraordinary special education program expenses.

HB 1500 establishes a Cyber Charter School Funding and Policy Council to develop recommendations on funding, governance, and accountability for cyber charter schools by April 2026. The bill requires public school entities to report advertising and sponsorship spending annually, and mandates detailed cost-tracking for special education services based on individualized student plans. It also adds provisions for student wellness checks, enrollment notifications, and fund balance limits for cyber charter schools, while maintaining a moratorium on new cyber charter school approvals. The law directly affects cyber charter schools, public school districts, and students with disabilities in Pennsylvania.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates fund balance limits, cost-tracking for special education, and establishes a funding council for cyber charters, promoting fiscal accountability in state budget allocation for education.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes cyber charter school funding framework, policy council, and accountability measures, advancing alternative school funding models and special education cost-tracking.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice School Funding Special Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Feb 26, 2025

SB 354: 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 funding for charter schools, for provisions applicable to charter schools and for applicability of other provisions of this act and of other acts and regulations.

SB 354 changes how Pennsylvania charter schools receive state funding for special education students, effective the 2025-2026 school year. It replaces a previous formula with a new system that provides additional funding based on three cost categories: Category 1 (1.51x base funding), Category 2 (3.77x), and Category 3 (7.46x), determined by the actual cost of services documented by the charter school. Charter schools must submit cost documentation to the state and school districts, and must return overpayments if costs are lower than received. This directly affects charter schools serving special education students and the school districts that fund them. The bill also clarifies which state education laws apply to charter schools.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases state funding for charter school special education through cost-based multipliers (1.51x-7.46x), advancing public education budget allocation without defunding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases special education funding for charter schools via new cost-based formula (1.51x-7.46x), advancing support for student needs in K-12 education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice Special Education

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate May 28, 2025

SB 799: 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 funding for charter schools.

SB 799 modifies Pennsylvania's Public School Code to clarify how charter schools receive state funding. It requires school districts to fund charter schools at a rate equal to the district's per-student spending (minus specific district expenses like transportation and facilities) for regular students, and adds a special education funding component based on district spending ratios. For cyber charter schools, the bill limits payments to nonaffiliated cyber charters to the maximum amount the district's own affiliated cyber school would receive. This directly affects charter schools (especially cyber charters) and school districts responsible for funding student placements. The changes aim to standardize funding calculations but do not alter overall funding levels.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesClarifies state funding allocation for charter schools, requiring districts to fund at per-student rates, ensuring consistent public education spending within budget framework.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationClarifies charter school funding to require district-level per-student spending, ensuring adequate financial support for charter schools.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Special Education

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