This bill establishes school-based health centers in Pennsylvania public, private, and parochial schools to provide accessible medical care to students. These centers must remain open during school hours and cannot deny care based on a student's ability to pay, insurance status, or existing primary care provider. While the specific services offered are determined by the school district or private governing body, the centers are required to coordinate with outside providers and maintain strict confidentiality for medical records. Additionally, the legislation creates a statewide advisory council to oversee these centers and mandates that the state education department develop regulations in consultation with stakeholders.
This Pennsylvania bill requires public and private schools to teach students in grades six through twelve about suicide prevention and violence awareness, while also introducing social isolation education for students from kindergarten through grade twelve. To support these requirements, the state education department must create and publish a list of evidence-based, age-appropriate curricula that schools can use to deliver at least one hour of instruction annually. The materials must cover identifying warning signs, seeking help, and reporting dangerous behavior, with the option for schools to combine these lessons into a single class period. Additionally, the legislation allows for the establishment of student-led violence prevention clubs to further promote safety within school communities.
This bill establishes a ten-year pilot program in Pennsylvania to provide grants for schools to install milk dispensary systems that serve whole milk without packaging. The Department of Agriculture, working with the Center for Dairy Excellence, will manage the program by reviewing applications and funding eligible public and nonpublic schools that participate in federal nutrition programs. Grant recipients must prioritize waste reduction, serve low-income students, source milk locally, and share data on their results. To ensure safety and compliance, the program requires all systems to meet state and federal food standards while schools report quarterly data on milk usage and waste reduction.
This bill updates Pennsylvania's Public School Code to establish stricter attendance and safety rules specifically for cyber charter schools. It requires these schools to define clear policies for counting student presence during live online classes and completing weekly assignments for independent study, with penalties including funding withholding or charter revocation for non-compliance. Additionally, the legislation mandates that cyber charter schools implement wellness checks and create child protection plans to ensure student safety. The state education department will also develop standardized forms to help schools submit and approve these new attendance policies by a set deadline.
HB 2486 requires Pennsylvania public schools to create and share mental health support policies for students. The bill mandates that educators in grades six through twelve receive four hours of mental health training every five years. Additionally, the state Department of Education will develop model policies, training materials, and a curriculum to guide schools in identifying student needs and providing appropriate support.
This bill requires Pennsylvania's child protective services agencies to notify school principals, guidance counselors, or mental health professionals when a student has recently experienced a traumatic event. The law mandates that these agencies create specific procedures to share this information while strictly prohibiting the disclosure of confidential case details. By enabling schools to monitor affected students, the measure aims to ensure they can provide appropriate support without compromising privacy. The regulations will take effect 60 days after the bill is enacted.
HB 2441 creates a new experience-based certification pathway in Pennsylvania for school counselors and school nurses, allowing them to work while completing additional education. The bill requires these professionals to hold a relevant master's or doctoral degree, pass a specific professional exam, and complete a set number of supervised clinical hours. It also mandates continuing education credits, including training on child abuse reporting and suicide prevention, and limits the temporary certification to a maximum of five years.
This bill establishes a pilot program called the Community-Engaged School for Success to support struggling schools in Pennsylvania by connecting them with local community resources. It designates schools as "community-engaged" if they are among the lowest 15% in academic performance or located in districts with at least 30% acute poverty, requiring them to hire coordinators and program managers to oversee new support services. These services include academic help, mental and dental health care, family engagement, and college preparation, provided by school staff or outside partners without replacing existing union-negotiated duties. The Department of Education is tasked with approving applications and designating at least 20 schools by September 2026 to begin this initiative.
This bill requires Pennsylvania schools participating in the School Safety and Security Grant Program to create electronic records tracking traumatic events and adverse childhood experiences for students. These records, overseen by a mental health professional or trained administrator, will include information from law enforcement, medical providers, and school support services, organized into three tiers of access to protect sensitive data. The legislation strictly limits how this information can be used, prohibiting its use for student admissions or in criminal proceedings while ensuring confidentiality. Schools must develop individualized support plans based on these records to better assist students affected by trauma, with access granted only to authorized staff and parents.
This bill requires Pennsylvania public schools to include scoliosis screening and examinations in their health programs for students in grades five, six, seven, and nine, as well as age-appropriate students in ungraded classes. The screening must be conducted by qualified personnel following guidelines from the Secretaries of Health and Education, with results added to each student's health record. Parents may opt their children out of the screening in writing, and students already under medical care for scoliosis are exempt from testing. Additionally, the bill repeals an existing state regulation regarding scoliosis screening to align with these new requirements.
