Category: Government Actions

Letter From CTE Director to LEAs Announces CATS System Opening (February 21, 2023)

A February 21, 2023 PennLink message from Lee Burket, Ed.D., Director, Bureau of Career and Technical Education, to all LEAs with the subject line 2023-2024 Career and Technical Education Information System (CATS) Secondary Program Approval File. The message read:

Dear Partner in Education:

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) encourages you to share this information pertaining to the reapproval of the Career and Technical Education Information System (CATS) program with high school principals, career and technical education (CTE) supervisors, curriculum coordinators, applicable department chairs, business managers, school counselors, CTE instructional staff, and school support personnel.

Reapproval of PDE Programs in Conditional Status

For the 2023-24 school year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Career and Technical Education (PDE/BCTE) in accordance with Chapter 339.4(a)(2), will continue to review all programs that were given conditional approval this past year (2022-23) due to required documentation missing or not provided by the deadline because of the new system errors.

The CATS file is a series of individual pages containing data elements pertaining to various aspects of approved programs. All school entities with approved programs must ensure that all data element information in CATS is accurate. Failure to comply may result in programs no longer being approved. Professional staff from the PDE/BCTE have been in contact with all CTCs and school districts to assist with the re-approval process in the new CATS system the previous year.

The FRCPP CATS system will open February 21, 2023. School districts and CTCs with programs in conditional approval will be required to enter data and complete the re-approval process as soon as possible and before May 31, 2023, to continue to have PDE-approved CTE programs. CATS can be accessed at the login on MyPDESuite.

2023-24 CATS Secondary Program Initial Approval

The 2023-24 CATS Secondary Program Approval file is now open for new secondary CTE program approval requests. The CATS file is a series of individual pages containing data elements pertaining to various aspects of approved CTE programs.

All FRCPP CATS information should be updated annually to include:

  • CATS contact information.
  • Upload new annual course catalog.
  • Update any common support services and upload new LAC and other meetings provided on the Common LEA page.
  • Updated letters of support that are dated, signed and on letterhead.
  • Update any OAC member changes and upload latest OAC meeting minutes and dates.
  • Crosswalk Phase IV task grids just released and uploaded.
  • Review and update accountability annual targets by selecting the correct year and review with school program performance and click yes if targets were met or click no if they were not met.
  • Update CTSO rosters.
  • Update any scope and sequence changes, due to course revisions or articulation agreement changes.
  • Update all one-to-one articulations and dual enrollment agreements annually.
  • Update any teacher changes or expired teacher certifications and any industry credential revisions.
  • Update any revisions to any apprenticeships/accreditations that may have occurred.

Schools must seek one of two deliveries. Where a Program of Study (POS) exists (state developed task grid, statewide articulation agreement), the school must apply for the POS delivery. Where a POS does not exist, the school must apply for a Career and Technical Education delivery. The deadline for seeking new program approval is May 31, 2023. CATS can be accessed at the login on MyPDESuite.

The Career Pathway Option is a radial button in CATS to connect two or more Classification of Instructional Programs (CIPs) that are POS approved programs and offer the same foundational technical curriculum the first year. This pathway allows students to experience several related CIPs in a POS Pathway and requires specific elements for pathway approval.

Any secondary school may submit a request for POS Pathway approval. Currently, there are 38 POS available on PDE’s website.

The competency/task grid for each POS is the foundational curriculum framework for the CIP. Therefore, all competencies/tasks must be addressed in the approved program.

POS competency/task grids have been revised and are posted on the PDE website. Local Education Agencies must use the most recent list available. Additional competencies should be added as recommended by your Occupational Advisory Committee. Each course in the scope and sequence must be cross walked to the task grid and aligned to the course where the tasks are taught and uploaded in the FRCPP CATS system on the specific information tab/student technical competencies page. 

Your approved POS will provide the benefit of the articulated credits indicated by the statewide group of postsecondary institutions on CollegeTransfer.net.

If you have any questions, please contact Tammy Keisling at (717) 783-6996 or [email protected].

PennLink Informs LEAs of State Performance Plan Data Requirements – Postsecondary School Survey – Cohort 2 (POSTS) (February 18, 2023)

On February 17, 2023 PDE Bureau of Special Education Director Carole L. Clancy sent a PennLink message to all LEAs titled State Performance Plan Data Requirements – Postsecondary School Survey – Cohort 2 (POSTS). The PennLink was sent in reference to the accountability requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA).  It is regarding the secondary transition mandate by which each state is to determine, for the state as a whole, the extent to which students are achieving transition outcomes as stated in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) (State Performance Plan – Indicator 14). 

To meet this federal reporting requirement, once over a five-year period, each local educational agency (LEA) is required to survey all students with IEPs who graduate, dropout, or age out.  The Pennsylvania Post-School Outcome Surveys (PaPOS) will be used to gather this data.  The random sampling process used to assign each LEA to one of the five years in each cycle ensures that the LEAs selected each year are representative of the state as a whole with regard to LEA size, disability category, ethnicity, gender, and exiting status. 

During the 2021-2022 school year, LEAs assigned to Target Sampling Year 1 completed the exit survey.  The LEAs assigned to PaPOS Target Year 1 need to be aware of the following points as they must fulfill the post-survey requirements during the 2022-2023 school year: 
-No earlier than one year after the student left school and no later than September 30, 2023, the LEA will need to administer the PaPOS post survey to former students who had an IEP and who graduated, dropped out, or aged out at the end of the 2021-2022 school year.  (These former students should have been administered the exit survey in Spring of 2022).  All this information will be entered by your LEA through the Leader Services online system. 
-Intermediate Unit and Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) transition consultants will monitor the LEA’s progress and assist as needed with the PaPOS procedure.
-The Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Bureau of Special Education will provide training on the implementation and electronic submission of the PaPOS Target Year 1 to LEAs via a webinar scheduled for April 19, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.  Please register for this webinar at  PaTTAN – Session-38041 For questions about this process, or to determine LEAs are assigned to 2022-23 PaPOS Target Sampling Year 2, contact Elaine Neugebauer, Educational Consultant at the PaTTAN-Pittsburgh Office, at (800) 446-5607, ext. 6867 (inside PA) or via email at [email protected].

Medical Assistance and CHIP Renewal Changes Take Effect April 1 (February 17, 2023)

Starting April 1, Pennsylvania is required by federal law to review the eligibility of Medical Assistance (Medicaid) and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) recipients every year, which means recipients must submit a renewal. Important information is posted here.

While the Department of Human Services (DHS) still sent renewal notices during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, most people were not disenrolled from Medicaid or CHIP because of a change in eligibility. DHS is returning to the normal eligibility processes.

No one will lose their health coverage without having an opportunity to complete a renewal, and renewals will be completed over 12 months. Renewals due in March 2023 will be the first affected by the end of continuous coverage. If a person is found ineligible for their current coverage or does not complete their renewal on time, their coverage will end.

Information about when a person’s annual renewal is scheduled can be found on COMPASS or on the myCOMPASS PA mobile app. Anyone can set up a COMPASS account at www.dhs.pa.gov/compass and, if they have a mobile device, can download the myCOMPASS PA mobile app for free.

PDE, USDE Visit Thaddeus Stevens College Of Technology for CTE Month (February 13, 2023)

On February 13, 2023, in recognition of National CTE Month, Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Executive Deputy Secretary Angela Fitterer visited Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology with U.S. Department of Education (USDE) Under Secretary James Kvaal. During the visit, President Pedro Rivera facilitated a roundtable discussion with students, educators, and staff, and highlighted the college’s accredited, two-year course offerings that prepare students for the workforce.

“Schools like Thaddeus Stevens play a critical role in Pennsylvania’s education system—they are giving students the skills and experiences they need to leave school and obtain fulfilling, family-sustaining careers,” said Executive Deputy Secretary Fitterer. “There’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to success, and it is critical that we continue to support and invest in the schools that provide students with an engaging, tailored approach to learning and will allow them to chart their own course.”

“Graduates of our programs are in high demand here in Pennsylvania and across the country,” said Pedro Rivera, President of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. “In two years or less, we equip our students with the skills they need to thrive in the growing number of hands-on, good-paying jobs that are waiting for them.”

CTE in Pennsylvania offers students the opportunity to develop critical skills through a combination of classes and hands-on learning experiences, which allow them to apply academics to real-world situations. These programs are built on foundations of academic rigor and high expectations for student learning and success.

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is a premier, residential, two-year, accredited technical college that prepares students for skilled employment in a diverse, ever-changing workforce. Founded in 1905 with 15 students, Thaddeus Stevens College has grown to more than 1,300 students and 24 high-skill, high-wage technical programs. The college was recognized by the Aspen Institute, an independent research panel, as one of the top 120 two-year colleges in the country for six consecutive years; it was the only two-year, technical college in Pennsylvania recognized by the Aspen Institute.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education, please visit the website. 

Shapiro Administration Urges Medical Assistance, CHIP Recipients To Update Contact Information Ahead Of Imminent Federal Changes Impacting Renewals (February 11, 2023)

The Shapiro Administration and the PA Department of Human Services (DHS) are urging anyone enrolled in Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program to make sure their contact information is correct so they can receive timely updates about their benefits. Under new federal law, continuous MA eligibility will be separated from the public health emergency and will end on April 1, 2023. By keeping contact information up-to-date, recipients of Medicaid and CHIP will receive timely, necessary updates about their coverage and benefits so they are ready when it is time to renew their coverage.

These changes come following passage of the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, and will force states to resume normal MA renewal determination processes after April 1, 2023. 

“Recent federal law changes Medicaid renewal guidelines, and we need everyone to be aware of those and know what they need to do to stay covered. In order to keep as many Pennsylvanians covered as possible, DHS needs the most accurate information available in our system so that when it is time to complete their annual renewal, Pennsylvanians can submit their renewal quickly and easily,” said DHS Acting Secretary Val Arkoosh. “Take the time now to ensure that your information is correct so when your renewal is due, you have what you need to avoid a potential disruption in coverage.” 

The Department of Human Services, along with other agencies across the Commonwealth, are undertaking an aggressive, multi-pronged outreach plan to reach Pennsylvanians and inform them of the upcoming changes. Outreach to MA recipients has already begun and will continue to include mail, text, email, and phone calls to make certain they are aware of the federal action affecting their benefits. DHS is also planning coordinated broad public communications via social media, community stakeholders, and press channels to notify the public of this change for MA recipients. This social media outreach – primarily for individuals to keep contact information up-to-date to receive information on time – has been ongoing for months now. 

Changes to Federal Policy 

The federal public health emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic allowed for individuals to continue to remain enrolled in MA even if they became ineligible based on regular eligibility criteria, except in rare circumstances. This is also known as the MA continuous coverage requirement. On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 into law, which affects continuous MA coverage requirements. 

No one will lose their health coverage without having an opportunity to complete a renewal, and renewals will be completed over 12 months. Renewals due in March 2023 will be the first affected by the end of continuous coverage. If a person is found ineligible for their current coverage or does not complete their renewal on time, their MA coverage will end. Pennsylvanians who are no longer eligible for MA will be referred to other sources of affordable medical coverage like CHIP and Pennie®, the commonwealth’s health and dental insurance marketplace, so they have no lapse in quality, affordable health care. A schedule and examples of communications that MA and CHIP households will receive leading up to their renewal is available from DHS here. 

Prepare for Renewals 

Information about when a person’s annual renewal is scheduled can be found on COMPASS or on the myCOMPASS PA mobile app. Anyone can set up a COMPASS account at www.dhs.pa.gov/compass and, if they have a mobile device, can download the myCOMPASS PA mobile app for free. Instructional videos on downloading and using the myCOMPASS PA app are available on DHS’s YouTube channel. Those without computer or mobile access can call DHS’ Customer Service Center at 1-877-395-8930 or 215-560-7226 in Philadelphia, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., or visit their local County Assistance Office. 

Keep Contact Information Up-To-Date to Receive Updates 

Pennsylvanians whose contact information or personal circumstances have changed can use COMPASS to make the following updates to their case file at any time: 
-Changes to the number of people living in your household 
-Changes to your email address 
-Changes to your phone number 
-Changes to your mailing address 

COMPASS also allows users to sign up to receive e-notifications about their benefits. Keeping information up to date will help Pennsylvanians receive reminders about their annual benefit renewal quickly so they can prevent an avoidable lapse in coverage or services. 

Additionally, DHS encourages Pennsylvanians to opt-in to text messages to receive information about their benefits. The texts read: 

“The PA Dept of Human Services would like to text you important messages about your benefits. Carrier rates may apply. To Opt In, please reply ‘YES.’” 

If you receive a text like this from the number 1-833-648-1964, it is not a scam. Messages sent by DHS via text will never ask you for personal information, and you should not provide it. These are intended to be reminders about your benefits and other important information about programs administered by DHS and the federal government. 

DHS will provide additional information on the end of continuous coverage and other benefits affected by changes to the federal public health emergency in the coming weeks. For more information on the end of continuous coverage for MA and CHIP, visit www.dhs.pa.gov/phe.Â