The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is has introduced PA EdVentures, a new free monthly newsletter, delivering key updates, essential news, and other important information from us to you. PENN*LINK users will automatically receive the first edition in the next few weeks but will not be charged, since this is a complimentary new feature.
Category: Government Actions
Sen. Casey Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Early Childhood Education Training (October 31, 2023)
U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Mitt Romney (R-UT) have introduced legislation to prepare principals, superintendents, and other school leaders to facilitate high-quality early childhood education programs in school districts. The Creating Early Childhood Leaders Act would provide school leaders with the tools and training to support early childhood educators.
Click here to read the full news release.
USDA Final Rule Expands Free Meal Access at High-Poverty Schools (October 30, 2023)
Due to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) final rule that took effect on October 26, 2023, approximately 3,000 more school districts will be eligible to serve free breakfasts and lunches to all students under an expansion of the Community Eligibility Provision. The final rule amended the Community Eligibility Provisionās minimum threshold for low-income schools and school districts, lowering the minimum āidentified student percentageā (i.e., the percentage of students enrolled who are certified as eligible for free school meals) from 40% to 25%. It also allows all students in a school district to receive free meals without requiring families to fill out applications.
For more from K-12 Dive, click here.
PAPSA Steps Up Advocacy Efforts, Joins Student Services Coalition (October 30, 2023)
PAPSA has stepped up its advocacy efforts by joining theĀ PA Coalition of Student Services Associations. Along with PAPSA, six other educational associations have joined together to advocate for the effective delivery of pupil/student services in the commonwealth and will be calling on the Basic Education Funding Commission (BEFC) to ensure that funding for student services professionalsĀ is included in the outcome of the Commissionās work and in keeping with Chapter 12 requirements.Ā Those organizations are: PA School Counselors Association (PSCA), PA Association of Student Assistance Professionals (PASAP), PA Association of School Nurses and Practitioners (PASNAP), Association of School Psychologists of Pennsylvania (ASPP), and PA Association of School Social Work Personnel (PASSWP).
Interested parties can contact [email protected] with suggestions with regard to these advocacy efforts.
FCC Approves E-rate Funds for Wi-Fi on Buses (October 24, 2023)
As reported by K-12 Dive, on October 19, 2023, by a 3-2 vote, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved an expansion of the E-rate program to support Wi-Fi on school transportation vehicles. The support will help schools to address inequities for students who lack internet access at home, particularly those who live in rural, tribal or high-poverty neighborhoods. Supporters said that using E-rate funds for school bus Wi-Fi will help close the āhomework gapā caused by some students lacking connections to broadband internet at home.
The two “no” voters cited concerns over limited evidence showing that the expansion would support studentsā academic success.
For more from K-12 Dive click here.