Education Committee 09/23/08

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 and took the following action:

Reported as Amended:

SB 739 (Pippy): This bill allows for military personnel and their dependents who take internet based college courses to be charged resident tuition rates by the State-owned universities, community colleges and state related universities.

Education Committee 06/09/08

The Senate Education Committee met on Monday, June 9, 2008 at 12:45 p.m. and reported out the following bills:

The following bills were reported out as committed:

SB1442, PN2106:  This bill amends the Public School Code, to bring all future, statewide graduation requirements under the control of the General Assembly.

A vote of 10-1 was recorded.

SB1397, PN2032:  This bill amends the Public School Code to provide for the liability for tuition and enforcement of payment and for cost of tuition of child inmates.

A vote of 10-1 was recorded.

SB1376, PN1962:  This bill would repeal legislation relating to York Academy. 

A vote of 11-0 was recorded.

SR243, PN1786:  This resolution would direct the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study of state law and school policies and practices regarding the notification of parents when a student violates a public or private institution of high education’s drug and alcohol policy.

A vote of 11-0 was recorded. 

The following bills were reported out as amended:

HB1067, PN1911:  This bill would provide for the transfer of student disciplinary records upon a student transfer.

Senator Rhodes offered Amendment A07300 to remove a section relating to the transfer of records upon the revocation of a school’s charter.

The amendment and the bill received an 11-0 vote.

Education Committee 05/06/08

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 12:00 p.m. and reported out the following bills:

The following bill was reported out as committed:

SB1277 (Senator Robbins) This bill would amend the Public School Code of 1949 to add “charter schools” that provide alternative education programs as their central mission to the entities (school district or combination of school districts) that may apply for funding under this section.  A vote of 9-2 was recorded.

The following bills were reported out as amended:

SB395 (Senator Washington) This bill would amend the Public School Code of 1949 to provide for child abuse identification training for school employees.  A vote of 11-0 was recorded.

Senator Musto offered Amendment A06888 that removed much of the bill’s existing language and replaced it with clarified language regarding the training of school employees and contracted individuals to identify cases of child abuse.  The amendment also changed the effective date of the act from 60 days to 180 days.  A vote of 11-0 was recorded.

SB1281 (Senator Pippy) This bill would amend the Public School Code of 1949 to permit a child who lives outside of Pennsylvania whose parents have been ordered to active military duty, other than training, to be considered a resident of his or her school district immediately prior to the relocation.  A vote of 11-0 was recorded.

Senator Rhodes offered Amendment A06885 that removed and replaced it with clarified language and changed the effective date of the act from 60 days to immediately.  A vote of 11-0 was recorded.

HB503 (Representative Santoni) This bill would amend the Public School Code of 1949 to permit constables to serve as a school director.  A vote of 10-1 was recorded.

Senator Rhodes offered Amendment A06892 that changed the effective date of the act from 60 days to immediately.  A vote of 10-1 was recorded.

Education Committee 04/29/08

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. and reported out the following bills:

The following bills were unanimously reported out as committed:

SB472 (Senator Robbins) This bill would amend the Public School Code to create a Science Technology Partnership Program between institutions of higher education and schools or school districts.

SB1283 (Senator Dinniman) This bill would require state-owned institutions of higher education, state-related institutions of higher education, and community colleges to submit quarterly reports to their host community governments on any disciplinary action taken on a college student.

SB1285 (Senator Dinniman) This bill would require institutions of higher education to provide information relating to drug and alcohol policies, student disciplinary process and parental notification of following a violation to parents of students enrolled at that institution.

SB1312 (Senator Vance) This bill would amend the Public School Code of 1949 to provide for a change in the State’s reimbursement amount – $7 to $12 – multiplied by the enrollment amount, for school nurse services.

SB1315 (Senator Waugh) This bill would create a Postsecondary Education Tuition Reimbursement Program within the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) for volunteer firefighters and emergency services personnel (EMS).

The following bill was unanimously reported out as amended:

SB731 (Senator Orie) This bill would amend the Public School Code of 1949 to provide for the possession and use of an epinephrine auto-injector (epi-pen) by school children.

Senator Rhoades offered Amendment A06773 that would authorize a school district to restrict the self-carrying of an epi-pen by students under age 11.  The amendment also requires public notice of the school policy on inhalers, epi-pens, and other prescribed medication.

Education Committee 04/09/08

The Senate Education Committee met on Wednesday, April 09, 2008 and reported out the following resolution:

SR289: (Logan) This resolution would encourage the United States Congress to address the student-lending crisis affecting the ability of Pennsylvania students of higher education to obtain necessary financial aid.

The resolution was unanimously reported out as committed.

Education Committee 09/19/07

The Senate Education Committee met on Wednesday, September 19, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. and reported out the following resolution:

SR 141 (Senator Musto) This resolution would memorialize the President and U.S. Congress to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, to address funding issues, teacher certification issues, issues regarding certain disadvantaged students and reliability of present assessment standards.

The resolution was reported out by a vote of 8-2

Education Committee 06/05/07

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, June 5, 2007, and took the following action:

Reported Out as Amended

House Bill 842 pn 957 (Grucela)  An employee who does not complete the required continuing education may have his/her certificate placed in inactive status at any point in the year:  Unanimous Vote   A00924 (Rhoades) The amendment requires that the Department of Education may only place a teacher’s certificate in inactive status between June 30^th and July 31^st rather than at some point in time during the school year:  Unanimous Vote

Reported Out as Committed

Senate Bill 834 pn 970 (Rhoades)  The bill requires the Governor to appoint two municipal officers to the Advisory Council on Library Development:  Unanimous Vote

Education Committee 05/01/07

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, May 1, and took the following action:

Reported Out as Amended

SB 805 pn 903 (Folmer) The legislation requires the Department of Education to provide an annual report on the operation of the Educational Assistance Tutoring Program. Technical amendment.  Unanimous

SB 806 pn 904 (Browne) The legislation requires the Department of Education to provide an annual report on the operation of the Classrooms for the Future Technology Program. Technical amendment.  Unanimous

SB 807 pn 905 (Rhoades) The legislation requires the Department of Education to provide an annual report on the operation of the Classrooms for the Future Technology Program.  Technical amendment. Unanimous

SB 808 pn 906 (Rhoades)  The legislation requires the Department of Education to provide an annual report on the operation of the Project 720 High School Curriculum Program. Technical amendment.  Unanimous

SB 813 pn 908 (Tomlinson) The legislation requires the Department of Education to provide an annual report on the operation of the Education Technology Program. Technical amendment.  Unanimous

Reported Out as Committed

SR 91 pn 871 (Rhoades) The Resolution urges the President and Congress to increase funding for special education programs. Unanimous

SR 101 pn 919 (Brubaker) The Resolution designates May 8, 2007, as “Early Care and Child Education Action Day”.

Education Committee 04/17/07

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, April 17, 2007, and took the following action:

Reported Out as Amended

Senate Bill 399 pn 446 (Musto)  This legislation adds additional block grant options to the current list of approved programs to be considered  for accountability block grants.  School districts would be allowed to use block grant funds to establish, expand or maintain world language programs in the elementary grades. Vote:  9-2

Education Committee 03/20/07

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, March 20, 2007,  and took the following action:

Reported Out as Amended

Senate Bill 112 pn 143 (Piccola)  Amends the Public School Code to further provide for the Office for Safe Schools for memoranda of understanding with local law enforcement, and for reporting by school entities. Unanimous Vote.  A 00221 (Rhoades) Clarifies definition of Chief School Administrators and sets forth fines and penalties for failure to report certain violations. Unanimous Vote.

Senate Bill 207 pn 249 (Musto)  Amends the Public School Code to require at least one school official that is certified in CPR to be present when school meals are being servedVote:  10-1  A00208 (Musto)  Clarifies language and adds civil immunity for school employees who render care under the bill.  Unanimous Vote.

Reported Out as Committed

Senate Bill 159 pn 197 (Rhoades)  Amends the Public School Code to increase the school lunch and breakfast reimbursement.  Vote:  10-1

Education Committee 02/06/07

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, February 6, 2007,  and took the following action:

Reported Out as Amended (Unanimously)

SB 154 PN No: 19 (Rhoades) The bill amends the Public School Code to require that certain school districts revise their
professional education plans and to require the Department of Education to create a clearinghouse of continuing professional
education programs. A00035 (Musto)  Adds pre-kindergarten students (Unanimous)

SB 157 PN No: 21 (Rhoades)  The legislation amends the Public School Code to direct intermediate units to coordinate
academic programs for school districts and to establish academic improvement teams for school districts. A00013 (Rhoades) 
Adds collective bargaining protection to the bill (Unanimous)

SB 219 PN No.: 24 (Vance) The bill amends Public School Code to add certified registered nurse practitioners and
physicians’ assistants to the list of professionals who can perform the physical tests needed by teachers in order to get their
certification. A00012 (Baker)  Technical (Unanimous)

Reported Out as Committed (Unanimously)

SB 71 PN No.: 18  (Greenleaf)  The bill amends the Public School Code to require schools for the 2007-2008 school year to
adopt a policy related to bullying or to include such policy as part of its existing Code of Student Conduct.  Such policies will
include discipline consequences and may include prevention and intervention techniques.

SB 155 PN No.:  20 (Rhoades)  The legislation adds a section to the Public School Code providing that each intermediate 
unit may establish and coordinate a pool of educational advisors to provide assistance to any school district or school 
assigned to the intermediate unit and identified for school improvement or corrective action.  

SB 158 PN No.: 22 (Rhoades)  The legislation amends the Public School Code to provide for the establishment of parental involvement programs and policies in school districts.