The Senate Education Committee met on November 18, 2002, and took the following action.

Reported as Amended (unanimously)

House Bill 2644pn4408  (Schuler)   This legislation would amend the current law by exempting the
Thaddeus Stevens State College of Technology from the jurisdiction of the Department of Education and
would add provisions relating to the Thaddeus Stevens State College of Technology. A5641 (Rhoades
Amendment) deleted the language in the current printer's number and replaced those provisions with
language that would grant the college greater autonomy in its operations.  The amendment was
unanimously approved.

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, November 12,  2002, and took the following action.

Reported as Amended (unanimously)

House Bill 204 (Stairs)   The bill establishes a system for collecting information from school districts
and other school entities in a uniform manner; making the information accessible to the public and
known as the School Profiles Act.  A technical amendment was unanimously agreed to on the measure.

House Bill 1686 (Stevenson)   The bill would further provide for state libraries by adding language
stipulating that  a local library or library system shall not use incentive for excellence funds to reduce its
financial effort for normal, recurring operating costs from a previous level unless evidence of substantial
curtailment of financial ability  of the community is accepted by the state librarian.  A technical
amendment was unanimously agree to on the measure.

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, October 1,  2002, and took the following action.

Reported as Committed (unanimously)

House Bill 2229 (PN3865) (Zug)   The bill authorizes the board of school directors to establish a
program to provide high school diplomas to certain Korean War Veterans.

Reported as Amended (unanimously)

House Bill 592 (PN4353) (Egolf)   The bill provides for the display of the United States Flag and relating
ceremonies.  A4529 (Rhoades) was unanimously approved. The amendment would address the issue of
religious and personal conviction for those students who do not desire to participate in such ceremonies
and further requires that parents of such students would be notified by the school.

Withdrawn  from the Agenda

House Bill 204 (PN2163) (Stairs)   The bill was withdrawn from the agenda for further study.

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, June 11, 2002, and took the following action.

SB885 PN1026 (Rhoades)   The bill amends the Public School Code to further provide for the reporting
of student conduct; and requiring the adoption of a code of student conduct.

SB1256 PN1642 (Mowery)   The bill amends the Public School Code to further provide for the nursing
loan forgiveness program and establishing the Pennsylvania Nurse Scholarship Program.

SB1465 PN2050 (Schwartz)   The bill establishes the criteria and authority for school districts to
include character education in curriculum planning and the Character Education Grant Program.

HB2200 PN3510 (DeLuca)   The bill amends the Public School Code providing for conditional
employment; imposing penalties for submitting a false affidavit; providing for firefighter and emergency
service training as creditable high school courses; and further providing for education support services
providers and grants, for high school certificates and for approved reimbursable rental for approved leases
and reimbursable sinking fund charges on debt.

Education Committee 11/13/01

The Senate Education Committee held a public hearing today on the issue of Cyber Charter
Schools in Pennsylvania.  Ten speakers gave testimony regarding the feasibility of operating such
schools state-wide.

Speakers represented the Western PA Cyber Charter School; Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School; The
Einstein Academy Charter School; Tutorbots, Inc.; SusQ-Cyber Charter School, and the author of a book
entitled Education Technology.