Category: Government Actions

IRRC Approves Charter School Regs (March 22, 2022)

On March 21, 2022, the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) approved charter-school regulations developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to purportedly increase transparency, equity, quality and accountability in implementation of the Charter School Law (CSL). The regulations clarify several elements of the state CSL to align public charter school operations and oversight with that of traditional public schools. 

The regulations:

  • Provide clear application requirements for entities seeking to open a charter school, regional charter school, and cyber charter school;
  • Ensure that all Pennsylvania students are able to access charter schools;
  • Clarify the ethics requirements for charter and cyber charter school trustees;
  • Require school districts and charter schools to follow the same fiscal management and auditing standards;
  • Streamline the process for charter schools to request tuition payments from school districts and the state; and
  • Provide a consistent, common-sense method for charter schools to meet the employee health care requirements in state law.

PDE began developing the regulations in August 2019. Nearly 2,000 comments from charter schools, school districts, professional organizations, lawmakers, and the public were considered as part of the process.

Charter schools are public schools funded by taxpayers through school district and state funds. A school district must grant the school a charter before students from the school district may enroll in the charter school. The PDE authorizes cyber charter schools, since they serve the entire state.

There are 179 charter schools and cyber charter schools operating in Pennsylvania this school year. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have students enrolled in some form of charter school.

To read the press release, click here.

EPA Announces the “Clean Air in Buildings Challenge” to Help Building Owners and Operators Improve Indoor Air Quality and Protect Public Health (March 20, 2022)

On March 17, 2022, as part of President Biden’s National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan released March 3rd, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the “Clean Air in Buildings Challenge,” a call to action and a concise set of guiding principles and actions to assist building owners and operators with reducing risks from airborne viruses and other contaminants indoors. The Clean Air in Buildings Challenge highlights a range of recommendations and resources available to assist with improving ventilation and indoor air quality, which can help to better protect the health of building occupants and reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread.

“Protecting our public health means improving our indoor air quality. Today, EPA is following through on President Biden’s plan to move our nation forward in a healthy, sustainable way as we fight COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic, building managers and facility staff have been on the frontlines implementing approaches to protect and improve indoor air quality to reduce risks and keep their occupants safe and healthy, and we are so grateful for their efforts,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The Clean Air in Buildings Challenge is an important part of helping us all to breathe easier.”

Infectious diseases like COVID-19 can spread through the inhalation of airborne particles and aerosols. In addition to other layered prevention strategies like vaccination, actions to improve ventilation, filtration and other proven air cleaning strategies can reduce the risk of exposure to particles, aerosols, and other contaminants, and improve indoor air quality and the health of building occupants.

Key actions outlined in the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge include:

  • Create a clean indoor air action plan,
  • Optimize fresh air ventilation,
  • Enhance air filtration and cleaning, and
  • Conduct community engagement, communication and education.

While the recommended actions cannot completely eliminate risks, they will reduce them. The Clean Air in Buildings Challenge presents options and best practices for building owners and operators to choose from, and the best combination of actions for a building will vary by space and location. Such steps would depend upon public health guidance; who and how many people are in the building; the activities that occur in the building; outdoor air quality; climate; weather conditions; the installed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment; and other factors. American Rescue PlanExit and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds can be used to supplement investments in ventilation and indoor air quality improvements in public settings.

EPA and the White House COVID-19 Response Team consulted with the Centers for Disease Control, the Department of Energy, and several other Federal agencies with roles in promoting healthy indoor air quality in buildings to develop the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge.  Today’s announcement also highlights an array of resources to help building owners and operators meet the Challenge.  The document will be made available in Spanish, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Vietnamese, Korean, Tagalog, Arabic and Russian.

More information on the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge is available at Clean Air in Buildings Challenge.

Three PA House Bills Take Aim at Teacher Shortage (March 19, 2022)

Since December, the PA House of Representatives has seen the introduction of three bills aimed at addressing the educator shortage across the Commonwealth.  HB 2206, which would provide support for school entities in need of filling positions that are difficult to fill by implementing Grow-Your-Own (GYO) programming, was referred to the House Education Committee (HEC) on December 30, 2021. HB 2247, which would look to retain teachers by providing loan forgiveness through the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program, was referred to the HEC on January 14, 2022. HB 2389, which would provide financial assistance to education majors who agree to teach in-state by establishing the PA Teach Scholarship Program, was referred to the HEC as of March 8, 2022.

However, there has been no movement on any of these bills since being referred to the HEC. 

PDE Reports 66% Decline in Teacher Certs as Teacher Shortage Worsens (March 19, 2022)

At both a House Education Committee hearing and the March 16th PA State Board of Education Meeting, Deputy Sec. Tanya Garcia expressed concern regarding the  current shortage of teachers in the Commonwealth and the increasingly dwindling number of those entering the field.  According to Garcia, who is also the commissioner of the Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education at the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), since 2010 there has been a 66% decline in both undergraduate education majors in the state and newly issued in-state teaching certifications.

Although the shortage existed prior to the pandemic, it has been exacerbated by it. Prior to COVID-19,  issues with competitive pay, college loan debts, a lack of diversity, and political pressures have made the profession less attractive.

Garcia said the state needs to find means to attract new teachers, including a focus on increasing diversity by attracting minorities. Other remedies must address increased wages and financial incentives, as well as improving and/or developing mentoring programs. In addition, “Grow-Your-Own” (GYO) programs are being implemented across the country to attract new teachers. GYO programs, which are typically partnerships between schools, districts, community organizations, and teacher preparation programs, recruit and train teachers from within communities to bring racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity and skills such as bilingualism into schools.

Adding to the shortage crisis is a lack of substitute teachers that has resulted in staff having to fill gaps when subs are unavailable.

For more on this topic from the Morning Call, click here.

For additional information from City & State Pennsylvania, click here.

School Assessment Tests Confirm Pandemic Learning Loss (March 14, 2022)

After a months-long delay, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has released results of student assessment tests for the 2020-21 school year. The data confirms that many students are struggling as a result of learning loss that has occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA), Keystone Exams and the Pennsylvania Alternative System of Assessment (PASA) for a small percentage of students with disabilities, show 37.3% scored at the proficient or advanced level, 55% on the literature/language arts exams, and 63.7% on the science exams. Also, participation in assessment exams dropped from the typical 97% to only 71%.
To learn more about individual school district results, click here.