On April 7, 2023, BSE Director Carole L. Clancy released a PennLink message to all LEAs titled Special Education Plan Requirements – Identification of Students with Specific Learning Disabilities using Response to Intervention. According to the message,

the PA Bureau of Special Education (BSE) has revised the application process for utilizing Response to Intervention (RTI) to identify students with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). Initial applications for school districts and charter schools may be submitted on an on-going basis. There is no deadline for submission.

The revised process requires school districts and charter schools to submit the RTI for SLD Determination Fidelity Tool as the application to PDE. The RTI for SLD Determination Fidelity Tool will be used district-wide or for building levels (e.g., elementary, middle, and/or high school). Additional information and the RTI for SLD Determination Fidelity Tool are available on the PaTTAN website.

Each local education agency (LEA) must partner with their local intermediate unit and/or respective PaTTAN Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) lead consultant to conduct a comprehensive review using the fidelity tool and to receive assistance with the process.

Please contact PaTTAN MTSS designees below for support:

Dr. Jennifer Collins, State Lead ([email protected]t) – Harrisburg
Karen Brady ([email protected]) – Harrisburg
Bob Shields ([email protected]) – Pittsburgh
Sherry Hartman ([email protected]) – East

Upon review of all documentation, the Bureau of Special Education will issue a letter indicating the application is approved, disapproved, or requires revision.

For LEAs currently approved to implement RTI for SLD Determination, please continue to use the RTI for SLD Determination Fidelity Tool for internal assessment and improvement.

Additionally, LEAs are required to outline use of RTI for SLD Determination as part of the required submission for the district comprehensive special education plan and charter school annual report assurances within the Future Ready Comprehensive Planning Portal.

Questions related to this message may be directed to Shannon Eye, Special Education Adviser, at 717-829-5113 or [email protected].

All school employees in Pennsylvania will receive three hours of safety and security training every year, at no charge to their schools, through a new training program grant approved on March 30th by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s (PCCD) School Safety and Security Committee.

“Every parent in America knows the fear of sending their children to school and worrying whether they might not come home at the end of the day,” said PCCD Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. “The horrors of Sandy Hook, of Uvalde, of Nashville, of Roxborough High School, of Westinghouse Academy and countless other communities are what keep parents up at night. We cannot harden our hearts to the violence that is plaguing our schools and our communities.

“Every kid deserves to be safe and feel safe, whether they’re in the classroom, on the playing field, waiting for the bus or walking home from school. Once launched, this new training program will empower and educate teachers, administrators, counselors, librarians, cafeteria workers and more on topics like situational awareness, suicide, bullying, substance abuse and emergency training drills. This is a critical investment in our kids’ safety and security.”

Established in 2018 by Article XIII-B of the Pennsylvania Public School Code, the School Safety and Security Committee is tasked with several responsibilities, including:
-Administering funding allocated for School Safety and Security Grants and related programs;
-Developing criteria and standards for conducting school safety and security assessments;
-Issuing surveys to measure school safety and security preparedness and gauge availability of mental health services and supports within schools;
-Establishing training requirements for school resource officers, school police officers, and school security guards; and
-Developing model plans, guidelines, and resources focused on trauma-informed approaches in schools and K-12 threat assessment.

The Committee committed $4.8 million in state funding to support the development and launch of a new School Safety and Security Training program for school employees and School Safety and Security Coordinators, pursuant to Act 55 of 2022. The school employee training will include an hour-long focus training on emergency training drills, including fire, natural disaster, active shooter, hostage situations and bomb threats, and the identification or recognition of student behavior that may indicate a threat the safety of that student, other students, school employees, other individuals, schools or the community. The school safety coordinator training will include these topics as well as more in-depth training on emergency preparedness, physical security assessments and securing facilities, and coordination and communication with law enforcement and emergency personnel. More information on these trainings will be released in the next few months and will be announced when available.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget would invest $100 million in new School Safety and Security Grants (including funding for statewide training), as well as $105 million in state funding for the Violence Intervention and Prevention Grants program administered by the Committee. The Shapiro-Davis budget plan also would invest $100 million this year in student mental health, so schools can draw down the funding they need and use it to fund mental health care for kids.

On April 4, 2023 the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced the creation of a Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program to instruct K-12 students on the political, economic, and social contributions of individuals with disabilities. Under the program, schools can apply for up to $30,000 in grant funding to implement disability inclusive curriculum.

“In Pennsylvania, we are focused on ensuring every student has access to the educational resources they need, no matter their race, gender identity, language, or background,” said Acting Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. “By teaching our children about influential individuals with disabilities, such as Harriet Tubman, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Stephen Hawking, and Michael J. Fox, we can demonstrate the profound, positive impact that individuals with disabilities have on our society and create a more tolerant and inclusive world.”

PDE is requesting applications from public school entities and non-public schools interested in developing or expanding focused efforts and experiences to engage in the pilot program. Applications must be submitted by 3:00 PM on Monday, May 15, 2023. Schools can implement the new curriculum beginning in the 2023-24 school year.

Funding will be granted to successful applicants for a three-year period from the date of the award through June 30, 2026. A maximum of $10,000 per year is available to each school entity or non-public school entity.

The Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program, added to the Pennsylvania Public School Code last summer, is intended to promote topics and subject matter for instruction to all students, will help learners understand that disability is a natural part of the human condition, and will emphasize the critical contributions of individuals with disabilities. 

Disability Equality in Education led the effort to create legislation for disability inclusive curriculum, and its Director Alan Holdsworth said, “We look forward to working with schools and districts as they begin to embed disability into classroom lessons and conversations.”

The program will impact the overall culture and environment of schools by reducing the stigma of disability by including disability as a part of a school-wide strategic plan.

Governor Shapiro believes that the foundation for building strong and safe communities starts with an adequate and equitable public education system. His 2023-24 budget is the first step toward a comprehensive solution to improve our public schools, push education dollars out equitably, support our teachers, and invest in targeted solutions that meet students’ needs at every level.

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