Education 2023-2024
The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 to consider the following bills:
SB1102 (Argall) – Establishes an alternative pathway to become a nurse aide in PA and broadens eligibility requirements.
- Amendment 04115 changes the effective date and makes other minor changes.
- Amendment adopted 7-4 along party line vote, bill reported as amended along 7-4 party line vote.
SB1104 (Argall) – Permits high school juniors and seniors to earn school credit for working in a congregate healthcare setting.
- Amendment 04113 reduces the number of hours worked per credit and makes other minor changes.
- Amendment adopted 7-4 along party line vote, bill reported as amended along 7-4 party line vote.
SB 1150 (Martin) – Establishes the Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program awards grants to Pennsylvania residents who study certain fields and commit to staying in Pennsylvania to work in those fields after graduation.
- Bill reported by a vote of 8-3 (Comitta, Kearney, and L.Williams voting NO).
SB 1151 (Martin) – Establishes the Grow PA Merit Scholarship Program which provides in-state tuition to eligible nonresident students who study certain fields and commit to staying in Pennsylvania to work in those fields after graduation.
- Bill reported by a vote of 8-3 (Comitta, Kearney, and L.Williams voting NO).
SB 1152 (Robinson) – Decreases the GPA requirement and increase the maximum household income for the Ready-to-Succeed Scholarship program.
- Bill reported by a vote of 8-3 (Comitta, Kearney, and L.Williams voting NO).
SB 1153 (Pennycuick) – Extends the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program to nonresident students who attend a PASSHE school.
- Bill reported along 7-4 party line vote.
SB 1154 (Aument) – Establishes the Performance-based Funding Council to develop a new performance-based funding system for Penn State, Pitt, and Temple.
- Bill reported along 7-4 party line vote.
SB 1155 (Argall) – Establishes the Higher Ed Task Force.
- Bill reported along 7-4 party line vote.
SB 1157 (Argall) – Allows a six-year-old child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder to be exempted from compulsory school attendance to obtain an additional year of early intervention services.
- Bill reported by a vote of 8-3 (Comitta, Kearney, and L.Williams voting NO).
The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 to consider the following bills:
SB 454 (DUSH) – Interscholastic Sports for Phys. Ed Requirement
- Gut and replace amendment A03541 adopted unanimously.
- Bill reported out of committee as amended along party lines 6-4 (Coleman NV)
HB 663 (MCNEILL) – Students Involved in School District Residency Disputes
- Bill reported out of committee unanimously 10-0 (Coleman NV)
The Senate Education Committee met on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 to consider the following bill:
SB 801 (AUMENT) – Literacy Achievement for All Pennsylvanians.
- Amendment A03457 was adopted unanimously by a vote of 10-0 (DiSanto on leave)
- SB801 was reported as amended unanimously by a vote of 10-0 (DiSanto on leave)
The Senate Education Committee met on Monday, December 11, 2023 to consider the following bill:
HB 1478 (CEPHAS) – Dental Screenings by Dental Hygienists
This bill amends the Public School Code to allow public health dental hygiene practitioners to perform school dental screenings.
- Reported out of committee unanimously.
The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 to consider the following resolution:
SR178 (Martin) – LBFC Study to Evaluate Outcomes of Act 44 of 2018 and The School Safety and Security Grant Program
- Amendment 02936 was adopted unanimously.
- SR178 was reported as amended unanimously.
The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 to consider the following bill:
SB 700 (Brooks) – Allowing Additional Highly-Qualified Individuals to Obtain Career and Technical Instructional I Certificates
- Amendment A02560 adopted 10-0-1 (Brooks not voting)
- Reported as amended unanimously 10-0-1 (Brooks not voting)
SB 907 (Reagan) – Armed School Security
- Amendment A02654 adopted 6-4-1 (party lines with Brooks not voting)
- Reported as amended 6-4-1 (party line with Brooks not voting)
HB 1258 (Kinsey) – Calculating ADM for College in High School – Dual Enrollment
- Reported unanimously 10-0-1 (Brooks not voting)
HB 1507 (Topper) – Providing our students flexible instruction time in school
- Reported unanimously 10-0-1 (Brooks not voting)
The Senate Education Committee held a Public Hearing on Monday, October 23, 2023 to consider structured literacy and Senate Bill No. 801:
The Senate Education Committee met on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 to consider the following bill:
Senate Bill 7 (Aument) – Parental Control of Student Exposure to Sexually Explicit Content in Schools.
- Amendment A02607 was adopted along party lines, 7-4.
- Reported as amended along party lines, 7-4.
The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 to consider the following bill:
SB 340 (PN276) MASTRIANO – Improving Curriculum Transparency in K-12 Schools
- Amendment A01993 to delay implementation until the 2024-2025 school year was adopted 7-4 along party lines.
- Reported out of committee 7-4 along party lines.
The Senate Education Committee met on Monday, September 18, 2023 to consider the following bill:
HB27 (PN1639) STRUZZI – Act 91 Extensions
This bill temporarily extends and makes permanent certain substitute teacher and classroom monitor permit provisions from Act 91 of 2021.
- Technical Amendment A02013 was adopted unanimously.
- The bill was reported out of committee as amended unanimously.
The Senate Education Committee held a hearing on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 to discuss the GOP’s latest school voucher scheme, this time called PASS:
The Senate Education Committee met on Monday, June 26, 2023 on the following nomination:
The Senate Education Committee voted to favorably recommend the nomination of Acting Secretary Mumin by a vote of 9-2.
The Senate Education Committee met on Monday, June 19, 2023 to consider the following bills:
SB 375 (Brown) – AEDs in Schools
- Gut and Replace Amendment A01130 adopted unanimously.
- Reported as amended unanimously.
SB 750 (Martin) – FAFSA as a new graduation requirement
- Reported along party lines 7-4.
The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 to consider the following five bills:
SB 209 (PN302) PENNYCUICK – Providing Children of National Guard/Reserve Members the Same Benefits Under the Military Interstate Children’s Compact
This bill requires that if National Guard or Reserve member moves for their service, their children are treated the same as children of active duty members under the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children Act.
- Amendment 00760 adopted unanimously.
- Reported out of Education as amended unanimously.
SB 462 (PN386) Bartolotta – Adult Education Workforce Recovery Fund Grant Program
The bill establishes the Adult Education and Workforce Recovery Grant Program.
- Amendment A00778 adopted 10-1 with DiSanto voting no.
- Reported out of Senate Education as amended 9-2 with Coleman and DiSanto voting no.
SB 565 (PN573) KPH – Student Data Privacy and Protection Act
This bill adds new Chapter 5 – Student Data Privacy and Protection to Title 24 to address permissible uses and limits of student data by third parties and schools.
- Amendment 00797 adopted unanimously.
- Reported out of Senate Education as amended 7-4 along party lines.
HB 100 (PN1093) FREEMAN – Tutoring Program
This bill amends the Public School Code to provide for a new Cross-Age Tutoring Program.
- Reported out of Senate Education 8-3 with Brooks, Coleman, and Mastriano voting no.
HB 301 (PN1035) HARKINS – Removing Derogatory Terms from the School Code
This bill amends the Public School Code to update outdated terminology, and directs $1 million of the $62.502 million 2022-2023 appropriation for Pennsylvania Chartered Schools for Deaf and Blind Children to be used for capital-related costs and deferred maintenance.
- Votes: Reported out of Senate Education Unanimously.
Senate Education Committee met on May 2, 2023 to consider the following:
SB 97 (PN36) LANGERHOLC – Community Engaged Schools for Success Pilot
This bill establishes a pilot program for Community Engaged Schools.
- A00161 was adopted unanimously.
- The bill was reported out of Education, as amended, unanimously.
SB 290 (PN264) MASTRIANO – 9/11 Moment of Silence and Model Curriculum
This bill requires schools to conduct a 9/11 moment of silence and requires PDE to establish a model 9/11 curriculum. The curriculum is optional, the moment of silence is mandatory.
- The bill was reported out of Education unanimously.
SB 353 (PN283) DUSH – Displaying the Preamble of the PA Constitution in Schools
This bill requires a school entity to display the preamble to the Pennsylvania Constitution. It does not apply to private or nonpublic schools.
- The bill was reported out of Education along party lines 7-4.
SB 456 (PN436) DUSH – Displaying the Preamble of the US Constitution in Schools
This bill requires a school entity to display the preamble to the United States Constitution. It does not apply to private or nonpublic schools.
- The bill was reported out of Education along party lines 7-4.
SB 460 (PN513) BARTLOTTA/MARTIN – Child Reunification Act
This bill requires schools to provide families of first graders with child identification/DNA kits for their use at home in the event the child goes missing.
- The bill was reported out of Education unanimously.
SB 647 (PN625) GEBHARD – Personal Financial Literacy for High School Students
This bill requires high school students to complete a new standalone personal financial literacy course and directs the State Board of Education to revise the relevant State standards.
- Amendment 00390 was adopted unanimously.
- The bill was reported out of Education, as amended, 10-1 with Senator L.Williams voting NO.
The Senate Education Committee met on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 to consider the following bills:
SB 232 (BROOKS) – Lyme Disease Education of Parents, and Establishing Protocols for Tick Bites in Schools
SB 232 was reported out of Education 10-1 with Sen. DiSanto voting no.
SB 297 (BROOKS) – Allowing PA Whole Milk in Schools
SB297 was reported out of Education 10-2, which Senators Kearney and A.Williams voting no.
SR 48 (BROOKS) – Resolution Urging the USDA to Allow 2% and Whole Milk in Schools
SR48 was reported out of Education unanimously.
The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 to consider the following bills:
SB 84 (Phillips-Hill & Schwank) – Protecting the First Amendment Right to Freedom of Religious Expression
SB 84 was reported out of Education unanimously.
SB 114 (Brooks) – Firefighter Training Pilot Program for High School Students
SB114 was reported out of Education unanimously.
Senator Lindsey Williams
Committee Chair