On Friday, July 8th, Governor Tom Wolf vetoes HB 972, which bars transgender girls and women from participating on women’s athletic teams or sports. In his veto letter, the governor claims that “discrimination against already marginalized youth representing less than half of 1 percent of Pennsylvania’s population.”
Click here to view the letter.
On July 5, 2022 Bureau of Special Education Director Carole L. Clancy released a PennLink message titled Special Education Performance Grant – Transition Discoveries: Designing Pathways to Competitive Integrated Employment 2022-2024. The message states that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Bureau of Special Education is requesting applications from Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Approved Private Schools (APS) interested in using the Transition Discoveries framework and Quality Indicators survey to create evidence-based systems that improve competitive integrated employment outcomes for transition-aged youth with disabilities. Through the use of the Transition Discoveries framework, school communities will co-design opportunities for youth, families, and stakeholders to build on their knowledge, skills, and relationships to prepare youth for life after high school. By utilizing the framework, school communities are empowered to identify transition practices and design new approaches that help youth with disabilities better reach their goals.
The purpose of the Transition Discoveries: Designing Pathways to Competitive Integrated Employment grant is to:
LEAs and APSs, including career and technical centers, charters schools, cyber charter schools, intermediate units, and school districts, are eligible to apply. Grant monies will be awarded to applicants with a full complement of Transition Change Agent Team members and who have evaluated and described their readiness to successfully implement Transition Discoveries and all required activities.
Funding of up to $45,000 over the two-year grant period will be available for each successful applicant from the date of the award through August 15, 2024.
This two-year grant opportunity will require LEA or APS Implementation Teams to:
-Form a Transition Change Agent Team.
-Utilize Transition Discoveries tools and protocols to collect data from youth, families, and community partners.
-Identify up to four priorities from the Transition Discoveries Quality Indicators data.
-Participate in asynchronous and synchronous professional development.
-Develop and implement a community action plan.
The application is posted on the Secondary Transition webpage of the PaTTAN website. Applications must be received by Monday, September 12, 2022, at 3:00 PM.
PaTTAN educational consultants will provide an informational webinar regarding the grant application process on Friday, August 5, 2022, at 10:00 AM. Register for the webinar by clicking here or go to:
https://pattanpgh.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUodu6uqDktG9FiTUtodjO1uVFR0S8W5VEH.
As the PA state budget deadline of midnight on June 30th passed, legislators continued to attempt to iron out sticking points as they negotiate an approximate $42 billion spending plan. At issue is how much and how to use a multi-billion-dollar surplus. A particular sticking point is in education funding, where Democrats are looking to invest in safety measures with a focus on gun violence prevention, property tax relief, and fair funding for schools, including expenses that result from state and federal mandates. On the other hand, Republicans are urging caution in spending and preparing for upcoming “rainy days.”
It is reported by CBS 21 that around $800 million could be going to public schools, which is almost nine percent higher than the present budgeted number, but less than the $1.8 B that the governor has requested.
On June 15, 2022 the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education released a PennLink to all LEAs with the subject line Driver and Safety Education Portal. The message states that the Driver and Safety Education Portal was opened for mandatory reporting on June 15, and closes on September 15, 2022.
Per section 1519 of the Pennsylvania School Code (24 P.S. § 15-1519), all Local Education Agencies (LEAs) are required to submit driver education program information, using form PDE 4026 Annual High School Driver Education Report via the portal by September 15, 2022. Schools that do not offer driver education must indicate “No Program” using the same form.
Schools seeking reimbursement must submit their request using form PDE 3039, Annual Preapproval of Driver Education via the portal no later than September 15, 2022.
Schools that offer driver education by contracting with a Private Driver Training School (PDTS) must identify the PDTS(s) on form PDE 4026.
The portal can be accessed at: MyPDESuite Application Login. Questions may be directed to John V. Kashatus, School Safety Education Advisor, 717-783-4382 at [email protected].
On June 25, 2002, President Joe Biden signed the Keep Kids Fed Act, extending partial school meal flexibilities through the next school year five days before they were set to expire. The Act continues some of the federal pandemic school nutrition waivers set to expire June 30. The $3 billion package is budget neutral, meaning it would not increase net federal spending.
Before the pandemic, meals were either free, reduced price, or full price to students. During the pandemic, the waivers allowed for all meals to be free. Now, the Act includes only free and full-price options.
The Act fully extends all waivers through the summer to allow meal deliveries and grab-and-go options for students. It also extends supply chain flexibilities and higher than pre-pandemic federal reimbursement rates through the 2022-2023 school year.
However, the Act excludes the flexibilities that had suspended eligibility requirements for free and reduced-price meal applications, thus ending the universal free meals that were available during the first two pandemic years.
Sources: NPR and K-12 Dive.