The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) recently reported that the educator workforce shortage in PA is trending in the right direction, with 97 more Instructional I certificates issued in the 2023-24 school year than the previous year. Also, since the 2021-22 school year PDE has seen a steady increase in the number of Instructional I certificates issued every year. Overall, PDE issued a total of 6,612 in-state and out-of-state Instructional 1 certificates in 2023-24.

The Act 82 Report compiled and published each year by PDE also showed an increase of 793 newly certified PK-4 educators, 85 more health and physical PK-12 educators, and 762 PK-12 special educators over the past two years.

These improvements are the result of efforts to recruit and retain teachers by working collaboratively with leaders in the education field to ensure there is a robust pipeline of educators in place to provide a high-quality education to learners of all ages across the Commonwealth. Some of those efforts include reducing teacher certification processing times by more than 10 weeks, making intern certificates free to aspiring educators, creating a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) program in Education for high school students, developing accelerated certification programming to prospective special educators, and creating and expanding the Student Teacher Support Grant Program to provide a stipend to student teachers.

Earlier this year, the Accelerated Special Education Teacher Certification Program recently produced the first cohort of 142 students completing the program, and announced that the second round of awards for the Accelerated Special Education Teacher Certification Program will provide more than $1 million in funding to 14 postsecondary institutions throughout the Commonwealth.

Additionally, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) opened the second round of applications for the Student Teacher Support Grant Program last week, and more than 3,000 would-be teachers applied in the first 24 hours for stipends to assist with completion of their student teaching placements in the 2025-26 school year.

As of the 2023-2024 school year, Pennsylvania’s teacher workforce stands at 123,190, with the largest shortages in Grades 4-8, Special Education PK-12, Mathematics 7-12, Life & Physical Sciences 7-12, and Career and Technical Education 7-12. The United States Department of Education has designated these areas as critical shortages.

On March 12-13, 2025, the PA State Board of Education held its 384th meeting. Highlights of the meeting included a report by the Academic Standards Review Committee that said there was an overwhelming number of responses to a request for participants on committees for the review and revision of standards for the Arts & Humanities and Health & Physical Education., which will occur from March 2025 through March 2026. The committees will be comprised of members from all parts of the state. It was also recommended that social-emotional learning be included in the formulation of the revisions. Nominees to serve on the committees were approved.

New PA Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe reported that the PA Educator Workforce Committee will, in its strategic plan review, will be making many changes to the current model of teacher certification. She also reported on the tremendous impact that a loss of Title I federal funding would have on PA schools if cut by the U.S. Department of Education.

In addition to its public sessions, the Board held a March 12th executive session with counsel to discuss legal implications of Act 69 of 2024, which established a state board of higher education. Subsequent discussion by the Board in open session centered on the need to delineate the roles and responsibilities of both the State Board and the Board of Higher Ed., since there appears to be some overlap.

On both days, PA Senator Lindsey Williams expressed her opposition with the manner in which public participation now occurs during Board meetings. She particularly said that to entertain in-person only public comment during meetings is not an acceptable method and she requested a return to the previous way of providing public participation, which allowed for both in-person and virtual participation. Her request will be taken into consideration.

A motion by PA State Council of Higher Ed. Chair Pedro Rivera was unanimously approved to form a subcommittee comprised of members from both the State Board of Ed. and the Board of Higher Ed. to meet and discuss the delineation of roles and responsibilities, to ask the General Assembly to extend the established reporting deadline of May 1, 2025 as set forth in Act 69, and to ask the Board of Higher Ed. to join in the request for an extension of the deadline and the establishment of a subcommittee.

In other action items, the Board unanimously denied the application of the Association of Christian Schools International for recognition as an Approved Private School Accrediting Organization; the board unanimously approved the 2024 Annual Report to the Governor and General Assembly; and the Board unanimously approved resolutions to recognize the services of both former Secretary of Ed. Dr. Khalid Mumin and former Executive Director of the Professional Standards and Practices Commission (PSPC) Mr. Shane Crosby.  

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended, requires the Pennsylvania Department of Education to identify in writing to local educational agencies regulations, rules, and policies that are state-imposed requirements and not required by IDEA and its regulations (20 USC §1407 (a) (2)). This notice fulfills the requirement to distribute an updated list of state-imposed requirements that exceed IDEA and its regulations.

Chapter 14 (22 Pa. Code Chapter 14)

§14.101 §14.104 §14.105 §14.106 §14.108  §14.121 §14.122 §14.123 §14.124  §14.125 §14.131  §14.132 §14.133  §14.143  §14.144 §14.145   §14.146   §14.152       §14.153   §14.154     §14.155     §14.156 §14.157 §14.158  §14.162      §14.163

(Relating to Definitions) (Relating to Special Education Plans) (Relating to Personnel) (Relating to Access to Instructional Materials) (Relating to Access to Classrooms) (Relating to Child Find) (Relating to Screening) (Relating to Evaluation) (Relating to Reevaluation) (Relating to Criteria for Specific Learning Disability) (Relating to Individualized Education Program) (Relating to Extended School Year) (Relating to Positive Behavior Support) (Relating to Disciplinary Placements) (Relating to Facilities) (Relating to Least Restrictive Environment Requirements) (Relating to Age Range Restrictions) (Relating to Child Find, Public Awareness and Screening) (Relating to Evaluation) (Relating to Individualized Education Program) (Relating to Range of Services) (Relating to System of Quality Assurance) (Relating to Exit Criteria) (Relating to Data Collection) (Relating to Impartial Due Process Hearing and Expedited Due Process Hearing) (Relating to Resolution Session)

Chapter 711 (22 Pa. Code Chapter 711)

§711.1        §711.5            §711.6            §711.7              §711.8            §711.9            §711.21          §711.22          §711.23           §711.24           §711.25             §711.41     §711.42           §711.43           §711.44           §711.45           §711.46           §711.61           §711.62

(Relating to Definitions) (Relating to Personnel) (Relating to Annual Report) (Relating to Enrollment) (Relating to Education Records) (Relating to Payments) (Relating to Child Find) (Relating to Reevaluation) (Relating to Screening) (Relating to Evaluation) (Relating to Criteria for the Determination of Specific Learning Disability) (Relating to IEP) (Relating to Transportation) (Relating to Educational Placement) (Relating to Extended School Year) (Relating to Access to Instructional Materials) (Relating to Positive Behavior Support) (Relating to Suspension and Expulsion) (Relating to Procedural Safeguards

If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact Tim Krushinski at [email protected] or (717) 329-4029 or Samantha Pudloski at [email protected] or (223) 279-5572.

Pennsylvania is looking for outstanding school employees who go above and beyond for their students. The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is now accepting nominations for the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award, a national honor from the U.S. Department of Education that celebrates non-teaching staff who make a difference in pre-kindergarten through high school.

“School employees — whether teachers, librarians, custodians, counselors, or paraprofessionals — play a critical role in the health, well-being, and development of young learners,” said Acting Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe. “Pennsylvania is proud to recognize the individuals who dedicate their time and care to their communities, and we encourage schools across the Commonwealth to nominate an exemplary professional who is making a difference.”

The RISE Award was created to recognize and promote the commitment and excellence exhibited by classified school employees. Each state is invited to nominate up to two individuals to be recognized. One of last year’s Pennsylvania RISE recipients, Officer Jim Green from Butler Area School District, was named the national RISE Award winner for his exemplary service to his school community. Recently, Officer Green lent his voice to the You’ve Got a Friend in Pennsylvania pep talk phone line, directing callers to select from menu options to hear advice, encouragement, and jokes from early elementary through high school students.

To be eligible for the RISE Award, an individual must be a full- or part-time non-teaching school employee, including paraprofessionals, clerical and administrative services, transportation services, food and nutrition services, custodial and maintenance services, security services, health and student services, technical services, and skilled trades. Nominations may be submitted by local education agencies, school administrators, professional associations, labor organizations, educational service agencies, nonprofit entities, or parents and students.

To nominate someone for the RISE Award, complete the online Nomination Form by June 30, 2025.

More information can be found on the PDE website.

On March 5, 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced up to $300,000 is available through the Keystone Telepresence Grant Program for intermediate units (IUs) for equipment and services to help educate students who are at home recovering from serious medical conditions, up to $30,000 per IU.

“All learners in Pennsylvania deserve to be able to access the world-class education offered in the Commonwealth, despite extenuating circumstances in their lives,” said Acting Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe. “Reducing barriers for students who aren’t physically able to travel to their school buildings is just one way we can support learners who may otherwise be prevented from accessing the important learning that takes place each and every day.”

Intermediate units can use the grants to purchase audio and video equipment. An IU’s member school districts can then borrow the equipment and place it within the homes of students who are recovering from an accident or medical procedure or are experiencing a serious or chronic illness. The equipment enables students to participate in daily educational activities with their classmates and teachers in real time. IUs can also use the funds to train personnel on how to use the equipment.

An intermediate unit that purchases telepresence equipment with a grant may not charge a public school or nonpublic school within the intermediate unit for the use of the telepresence equipment or related services when the equipment is used to support the educational needs of students.

To receive reimbursement for grant related activities, all awardees will be required to submit invoices to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The Keystone Telepresence Grant covers the expenditures incurred within the timeframe of the grant period, which consists of only one year. Intermediate Units will only receive reimbursement for the one-year period of the grant, regarding any service contract with a vendor, regardless of the length of the contract.

IUs interested in applying must apply through the eGrants system beginning now until March 14, 2024. Awarded grant funding will run to the end of the fiscal year.

Click here to access the press release.