Education 2025-2026

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The Senate Education Committee met on Wednesday, July 16, 2025 to consider the following legislation:

SB 922 (Martin) – Private School Licensing Modernization

• Reported out of committee 7-4 along party lines.

SB 927 (Pennycuick) – Cyber Charter School Wellness Checks

• Reported out of committee 10-1 (Mastriano no).

SB 934 (Pennycuick) – Cyber Charter Residency Verification

• Amendment A01568 – added an exception for students experiencing homelessness, requires PDE to make residency determination within 15 days, and requires cyber charter school to conclude its investigation of employee reports of nonresidency within 15 days. Amendment adopted 6-5 (All Ds voting no + Mastriano)
• Reported out of committee 10-1 (Mastriano no).

HB 17 (Watro) – Mandating Cursive

• Reported out of committee 9-2 (L.Williams and Kearney voting no).

HB 538 (Leadbeter) – Anti-Human Trafficking Prevention in Higher Education

• Amendment A01565 removed DHS from the definition of “human trafficking organization” and changed “human trafficking organization” to “human trafficking prevention organization” throughout the bill. Amendment adopted unanimously.
• Reported out of committee unanimously.

HB 1626 (Guzman) – Making CTC Barber Programs Permanent

• Reported out of committee 10-1 (Argall voting no).  

HB 1627 (Kazeem) – Making CTC Cosmetology Programs Permanent

• Reported out of committee 10-1 (Argall voting no).  

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 to consider the following legislation:

SB 877 (Pennycuick) – Making CTC Barber Programs Permanent

• Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.

SB 878 (Pennycuick) – Making CTC Cosmetology Programs Permanent

• Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.

HB 354 (Solomon) – What’s your Pennsylvania Story?

• Amendment A01269 – This gut and replace amendment replaces the underlying’s bill primary focus on religious freedom and with a broader focus on Pennsylvania’s role in the formation of the United States – including religious freedoms. PDE is required to develop resources, but schools do not have to use them. Amendment adopted unanimously.
• Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.

HB1405 (Munroe) – Veterans’ service experience for CTE certification

• Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 to consider the following legislation:

SB375 (Brown) – AEDs at Interscholastic Athletic Events

• This bill repeals the sections of the school code that currently cover CPR and AEDs and consolidates them into new sections with heightened requirements.
• Amendment A01013 to clarify PCCD Safety and Security Grant language adopted unanimously.
• Reported out of Senate Education as amended 10-1 (Keefer voting no).

 SB432 (Pennycuick) – Expanding Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program

• This bill extends the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program to nonresident students who attend a PASSHE school.
• Amendment A00862 to eliminate the word “youth” adopted unanimously.
• Reported out of Senate Education as amended 9-2 (Keefer and Mastriano voting no).

SB733 (Hughes) – Clarifying Requirements for Student Loan Exit Counseling

• This bill clarifies that institutions of higher education must provide financial aid exit counseling to all students that have loans that require repayment.
• Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.

SB838 (Culver) – Codifying Authority over Real Estate and Appraiser Schools

• This bill clarifies that the Pennsylvania Department of State, not the Department of Education, has licensure authority over real estate and appraiser schools. 
• Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.

SR119 (Brooks) – Resolution Urging Congress and USDA/HHS to Support Whole Milk in Schools

• The resolution urges Congress, USDA, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to update federal standards to allow schools to offer 2% and whole milk in school.
• Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 to consider the following legislation:

SB10 (J.Ward) – PASS Vouchers

• Reported out of Senate Education 8-3 (Comitta, Kearney, and L.Williams voting no). 

SB114 (Argall) – Nurse Aid Programs

This bill would establish an alternative pathway to become a nurse aide in PA and broadens eligibility requirements.

• Amendment A00552 – clarifies a section of the bill is “OR” not “AND”. Amendment adopted unanimously.
• Reported out of Senate Education as amended 7-4, along party lines.

SB127 (Mastriano) – Holocaust Education

The bill amends the Public School Code to mandate instruction in Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations and require schools to post all related materials and curriculum online.

• Reported out of Senate Education 6-5 (Sen. Keefer voting no along with all Democratic members).

SB227 (Phillips-Hill)  – RTK for PSBA

This bill subjects the Pennsylvania School Board Association to Pennsylvania’s Right to Know Law.

• Reported out of Senate Education 9-2 (Comitta and Kearney voting no).

SB246 (Coleman) – Weapons in Schools: Providing notification for parents, guardians, and school employees

This bill requires schools to notify parents and educators when a student, parent, educator, or other individual possesses a weapon on school grounds, school-sponsored activity, and transportation to either.

• Amendment A00457 separately defines “private” and “nonpublic” schools. Amendment adopted 9-2 (A.Williams and L.Williams voting no).
• Reported out of Senate Education as amended 8-3 (Kearney, A.Williams, L.Wiliams voting no).

SB310 (Martin) – Universal FAFSA Completion

This bill requires all students to file the FAFSA or an opt-out form prior to completing high school.

• Amendment 00388 requires PHEEA to provide only information they have access to. Amendment adopted unanimously.  
• Amendment 00507 separately defines “nonpublic school” and “private school”. Amendment adopted 10-2 (Kearney and L.Williams voting no).
• Reported out of Senate Education as amended 10-2 (Kearney and Keefer voting no).

SB700 (Robinson and Hughes) – Literacy Achievement for All Pennsylvania Students

This bill includes pieces from the structured literacy legislation last session that did not make it across the finish line, with a longer timeline by which districts must adopt structured literacy curriculum.

• Reported out of Senate Education 10-1 (Keefer no).

The Senate Education Committee met on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 to consider the following legislation:

SB 9 (J.Ward) – Banning Trans Girls from Playing Sports

This bill discriminates against transgender girls by banning their participating in sports from kindergarten through college.

• Reported out of Senate Education along party lines 7-4.

The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 to consider the following legislation:

SB 315 (Culver) – Career and Technical Education Equipment Grant Fix

• This bill amends the School Code to lock in the data used in the career and technical education equipment grant formula on June 1st of each year.
• Reported out of committee unanimously.

SB 470 (Brooks) – Firefighter Training Pilot Program for High School Students

• This bill amends the Public School Code by establishing the Secondary Education Fire Training Pilot Program and creates the Fire Training Fund.
• Reported out of committee 10-1 (Keefer voting no).