Category: Government Actions

PDH Issues Final Notice to Schools Regarding Dental Hygiene Plan (April 25, 2018)

On Tuesday, April 24, 2018, Jill Clodgo, RN, Acting Chief for the Division of School Health at the PA Dept. of Health issued a Final Notice regarding the need for school entities to submit their Dental Hygiene Authorization Plan by April 30, 2018 if that school entity plans to implement a Dental Hygiene program for the 2018-19 school year. The Dental Hygiene Authorization Plan page will close for data entry on April 30, 2018. Dental hygiene authorization plans will not be able to be entered after that date and the school will automatically revert to the Mandated Dental Program.  There will be no exceptions.

Any SHARRS user may “Submit” the plan. It does not have to be the Superintendent/CEO. If the page says “School Editing,” then it has not been submitted and cannot be accessed or approved by the Division of School Health. The Division of School Health does not want to see schools lose this valuable program or reimbursement, so it is imperative that the required plans are submitted before April 30, 2018.

SB 2 ESA voucher plan pulled from PA Senate Education Committee Agenda (April 24, 2018)

On Monday, April 23rd, the Senate Education Committee removed SB 2  from its April 24, 2018 meeting agenda. SB 2 would establish Education Savings Account (ESA) vouchers, which would siphon off tax money from public schools to be used for private schools and vendors. This is the third unsuccessful attempt to move the bill forward, and it is felt that pressure from many school districts that passed school board resolutions opposing the bill precipitated the removal from the committee’s agenda.

OCR Dismisses Hundreds of Cases as a Result of New Policy (April 23, 2018)

The US Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has begun to dismiss hundreds of civil rights complaints in accordance with a new procedure that allows investigators to disregard cases which are either part of serial filings or which they deem burdensome to OCR.
The new procedure is supposed to mitigate the burden on OCR that occurs when advocates flood the office with thousands of complaints for similar violations, which the office asserts hinders its ability to investigate other cases. However, there are many who see this as proof of a more “hands-off” approach to investigating civil rights claims and enforcing civil rights laws, which could result in discriminatory behavior being allowed in public schools and institutions across the country.
A new policy provision allows the OCR to dismiss cases that reflect “a pattern of complaints previously filed with OCR by an individual or a group against multiple recipients,” or complaints “filed for the first time against multiple recipients that” place “an unreasonable burden on OCR’s resources.” The new provision has already resulted in the dismissal of more than 500 disability rights complaints.

Deputy Secretary Stem Releases AEDY Reporting Memo (April 16, 2018)

On April 13, 2018, Deputy Secretary Matthew Stem released a memo regarding 2017-18 End-of-Year Reporting for Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth (AEDY) Programs. The memo states that the End-of-Year Reporting through the Safe Schools’ website will open (www.safeschools.state.pa.us) on June 1, 2018. All school districts and charter schools that place students in AEDY programs, which by definition are designed and utilized as disciplinary placements operated by a public school entity or approved AEDY private provider, must complete their End-of-Year Reporting to KSys through the Safe Schools’ website. Since 2015, sending school districts are responsible for entering data for all their AEDY students. IU programs are no longer able to enter these students on behalf of sending LEAs.

The deadline for completing AEDY End-of-Year Reporting is August 31, 2018, for the 2017-18 school year. If there is an approved program that was not utilized for placements for the 2017-18 school year, school entities must submit a letter signed by the superintendent on official letterhead indicating that no placements were made and submit via email to the State AEDY Team, ATTN:  Dana Klouser, to have the program removed from your reporting requirement.

Anyone requiring further clarification regarding the End-of-Year Reporting process, or who has any questions pertaining to the AEDY program, should contact the State AEDY Team at 717.705.3771 or email [email protected].