Category: Government Actions

Invitation to Apply to the 2027 Pediatric Capacity Building Institute (Year 4) (September 9, 2026)

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services is excited to announce the Fourth Annual Pediatric Capacity Building Institute (PCBI). PCBI is geared toward professionals across child- serving systems that are interested in learning more about how to support young people with complex needs and their families in PA and in initiating system change.

The PCBI offers a unique nine month, in person, multi-disciplinary, interactive learning opportunity across the entire service partnership. The Institute’s overall goal is to increase the administrative and clinical capacity across all systems to better support these youth and their families. The PCBI curriculum will accomplish this by promoting and strengthening:

  • clinical knowledge and understanding among participants from local, regional, and state government,
  • clinical expertise of providers – specific to individuals with both mental/behavioral health and developmental disabilities,
  • engagement of those with lived experience,
  • local, regional, and state understanding of complex needs planning, (organizing/facilitating/philosophy of approach),
  • each system’s understanding of other system’s available resources, processes, setting/service types, rules, and funding, and networking across systems and regions.

The Institute will also encourage participants to explore ways to improve and change their local systems of support for children and their families. Individuals who have completed prior institutes have used this new knowledge to strengthen existing programs and create fresh approaches that achieve the best results.

PCBI will approach these objectives from an individual and systemic perspective through training, integration of knowledge into practice, and opportunities to build a statewide cohort to work together to effect change and build capacity.

Discussion: 
PCBI will be facilitated by:

  • Jonathan McVey, Special Assistant, Office of the Secretary, PA DHS – PCBI Director
  • Emily Burger, Clinical Director, Office of the Secretary, PA DHS – PCBI Faculty
  • Amy Kabiru, Clinical Director, Office of the Secretary, PA DHS – PCBI Faculty
  • Shaye Erhard, OMHSAS Division of Operations and Service Delivery Director – PCBI Faculty
  • Michele Walsh, Executive Assistant, PA DHS – OCYF – PCBI Faculty

PCBI participants will hear from a variety of seasoned and successful speakers and practitioners who are implementing practical approaches to complex situations. The format of all sessions is designed to be highly interactive.

PCBI also strives to incorporate the lived experience of these children and families to ensure that the supports and services offered are meeting the needs of families across PA. Finally, PCBI participants will join a growing network of individuals who are exploring fresh pathways to supporting children and families who are attempting to manage highly complicated situations.

The curriculum includes topics such as:

  • Infant Mental Health & Child Development
  • Trauma / Resiliency
  • Cross System Knowledge & Multisystem Planning
  • Change Management
  • Education in Non-educational Settings / Early Intervention
  • Psychiatric Diagnosis / Psychopharmacology
  • Communication / Sensory Needs
  • Diversity and Culturally Competent Support
  • Therapies / Services / Programming / Evaluation / Assessment
  • Understanding the Child and Family – Biopsychosocial Approach
  • Relational Health and Permanency
  • Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
  • LGBTQIA+ Supports

Session Information, Requirements, and Confirming Attendance:
PCBI will accept 50 participants for the Year 4 Cohort. As such, each interested person must submit an Interest Survey by , 2026. Participants will be notified of their selection status by , 2026.

PCBI will meet once a month for nine months between and , with one backup session reserved in . Each month, there are consecutive two-day sessions. There will be five in-person sessions held at PaTTAN Central in Harrisburg and four virtual sessions conducted via Zoom. The specific dates, times, and location are provided below.

Participants who are selected will be required to register and submit a registration fee. The registration fee for the Pediatric Capacity Building Institute will be $400, which must be paid prior to the first session in . As a part of your paid tuition, you will be provided with coffee and a breakfast snack each morning, lunch, and an afternoon coffee break with snacks for all in-person sessions. Dinner will be on your own.

2027 Session Dates:

  • 3/24 – 3/25 – PaTTAN Central, Harrisburg
  • 4/14 – 4/15 – PaTTAN Central, Harrisburg
  • 5/19 – 5/20 – Virtual
  • 6/23 – 6/24 – Virtual
  • 7/14 – 7/15 – PaTTAN Central, Harrisburg
  • 8/4 – 8/5 – Virtual
  • 9/8 – 9/9 – Virtual
  • 10/6 – 10/7 – PaTTAN Central, Harrisburg
  • 11/3 – 11/4 – PaTTAN Central, Harrisburg
  • 12/8 – 12/9 – Back up

Session Start and End Times:
Live, in-person sessions in Harrisburg – Day 1 (10 am to 4:30 pm), Day 2 (9:00 am – 2:30 pm)
Live, virtual session held in Zoom – Both days (9:00 am – 3:00 pm)

Location:
Weather permitting, the In-Person sessions are held at the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) at 6340 Flank Drive Harrisburg, PA 17112. In the event of inclement weather affecting a session, a virtual option will be made available.

Hotel Reservations:
Participants can reserve a room using the list of local hotels found on PaTTAN’s website here: PaTTAN – PaTTAN – CENTRAL. No group rate is available.

Requirements:
The Pediatric Capacity Building Institute emphasizes the participation and collaboration of all participants. Structured group work participation and 100% attendance are required. Only the confirmed participant can attend PCBI; no substitutions are permitted after confirming attendance.

Interest Survey:
To be considered for participation in Year 4 PCBI, please complete and submit this Interest Survey by , 2026. Participants will be notified of their status by , 2026, via email.

Please email ra-secretaryoffice@pa.gov if you have any questions.

USDE’s Latest CRDC Redacts Hundreds of LGBTQ+ Entries (September 8, 2026)

The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) quietly released results of the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) for the 2023-24 school year, but redacted data collected on nonbinary students’ experiences. A tranche of federal data related to some LGBTQ+ students and their experiences in schools was withheld, even though the remaining data from the CRDC for the 2023-24 school year was released.

The redacted data covers nonbinary students’ experiences related to enrollment, discipline, bullying and harassment, and whether districts have policies prohibiting discriminatory harassment or bullying of students on the basis of their gender identity. Breakdowns of nonbinary students’ experiences by racial demographics, English learner status, and disability were also withheld.

The civil rights collection for the 2023-24 school year began under the Biden administration and concluded under the second Trump administration.

On August 31, 2026, the USDE quietly released the data, which had hundreds of entries involving nonbinary students redacted. It also lacked any in-depth accompanying report or analysis tools, which had been part of previous releases to help the public better understand the trends. 

Collected by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the CRDC is meant to capture data on equal access to education for various student subgroups and give the government a picture on schools’ compliance with civil rights laws. OCR has typically administered the data collection biennially for more than five decades.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

How PA’s Migrant Education Program and MSIX Can Support LEAs & Migratory Students Webinar (September 8, 2026)

The Pennsylvania Migrant Education Program (PA MEP) invites LEA administrators, student services staff, counselors, registrars, and other school professionals to learn how the program can help identify and support migratory students. Held on Monday, October 5 from 10:00am – 11:00am, the session is designed both for LEAs that already serve migratory students and for those that have limited familiarity or no current relationship with the PA MEP.

Participants will receive a practical overview of the PA MEP, including how the program helps LEAs identify potentially eligible students, connect families with educational and community resources, reduce barriers to school participation, and support student engagement and attendance. Migratory students face unique challenges, such as frequent moves, interrupted schooling, and other circumstances due to the culture of migrancy, and the PA MEP can serve as an important partner in helping LEAs address attendance concerns and promote educational continuity.

A central focus of the session will be the Migrant Student Information eXchange (MSIX), a national information-sharing database that gives authorized users access to important educational and enrollment information for eligible migratory students who may have attended schools in multiple states. Participants will learn how MSIX can support timely enrollment, improve records coordination, help identify gaps, reduce delays caused by missing information, and provide school staff with a clearer picture of a student’s educational history. By attending, LEA personnel will gain practical tools, resources, contacts, and a better understanding of how PA MEP and MSIX can work together with LEAs to support student attendance, academic progress, and successful transitions between schools.

To register, please visit the How Pennsylvania’s Migrant Education Program and MSIX Can Support LEAs and Migratory Students Webinar webpage.

Bipartisan Companion Bill to Prevent USDE Outsourcing Introduced in U.S. House (September 4, 2026)

On September 2, 2026, a bipartisan bill was introduced in the U.S. House that seeks to prevent the transfer of four U.S. Department of Education (USDE) offices to other federal agencies. Those USDE offices lead activities for special education, postsecondary education, Native American education, and elementary and secondary education.

According to K-12 Dive, the bill — introduced by Reps. John Mannion, D-N.Y., Bobby Scott, D-Va., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. — is companion legislation to a Senate bill that currently awaits a full vote.

Thus far, the USDE under the Trump administration has a total of 14 interagency agreements with six other federal agencies to offload many K-12 and higher education responsibilities. The administration has said the agreements will break up federal bureaucracy, but critics say they add confusion and prevent cohesion among the offices being outsourced. In addition, a joint statement issued on September 3 by Mannion, Scott, and Fitzpatrick said their bill seeks to prevent the four offices’ transfers to agencies that “lack the staff, experience, and expertise needed to administer them.” Fitzpatrick also stated that, “The families I represent should never have to wonder whether a federal reorganization will cost their child a service, a protection, or an opportunity.” Fitzpatrick added that when constituents raised concerns about moving the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) out of the USDE, he “took those concerns directly to the Administration and demanded answers about how it would protect IDEA [the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act], preserve critical resources, and prevent disruption for students.”
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), praised the House bill in a September 3 statement saying, “Transferring special education to the Department of Health and Human Services is misguided — it segregates special education from other education programs and jeopardizes the rights of students with disabilities.”

The House bill was referred to the Education and Workforce Committee for consideration. The companion bipartisan Senate bill passed that chamber’s Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions in July. 

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

PDE Provides September 11 Resource Toolkit (September 3, 2026)

Pennsylvania’s September 11 Resource Toolkit provides educators with clear, age‑appropriate resources to teach the history, impact, and legacy of 9/11. Designed to support thoughtful, accurate instruction, the toolkit includes lesson plans, primary sources, and classroom activities that help students understand the significance of 9/11 and its lasting effects on our nation and world.

The toolkit provides access to educational materials on the events of 9/11, including videos, lesson plans, and classroom resources adaptable for virtual or in-person learning. It’s a ready‑to‑use guide that strengthens civic learning and supports meaningful classroom conversations.

All materials in this toolkit are cited as vetted resources and are not necessarily a comprehensive collection.  Per Act 25, this model curriculum covers the events of 9/11, the historical context of terrorism, the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93 which crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the American recovery and response to the attacks, Global challenges and consequences in a post-September 11 world.