Category: State Government Actions

SB 144 Passes PA Senate and Moves on to House; Would Aid with Homebound Instruction Costs (April 11, 2019)

Earlier this week, the PA Senate unanimously passed SB 144, which is legislation that would help school districts pay for needed accommodations for students receiving homebound instruction as a result of a serious injury or illness. The bill would require PDE to develop guidelines and to award up to $300,000 per year in unused grant funding to IUs that apply for the leftover money to help with homebound instruction costs. If secured, those funds could be used to purchase equipment that would help such students participate in real time with classroom activities through a video link. Ultimately, the intent of this legislation would help to avoid instances whereby homebound students are instructed by a homebound instructor who isn’t as familiar with the subject matter as the student’s regular teacher.

The bill now moves on to the PA House.

Recognizing that April is the Month of the Military Child, PDE Releases Info to LEAs (April 9, 2019)

April is the Month of the Military Child, and PDE’s Bureau of School Support is notifying local education agencies (LEAs) that enroll children of military families about the educational supports and other resources available to assist military children and their families. Information and resources are available at:

https://www.education.pa.gov/K-12/Military%20Family%20Education%20Support/Pages/default.aspx and #monthofthemiliartychild.

To learn more about the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission or MIC3, visit http://www.mic3.net/. For additional information or questions, school entities are asked to contact Barbara Clemmer, MIC3 Program Coordinator, at [email protected].

PDE Provides Forms for Student Use of Sunscreen (April 9, 2019)

Last October, the PA School Code was amended to include sun protection measures for students. Along with that legislation. Section 1414.10 (2) of the PA School Code allows for the use of a nonaerosol topical sunscreen product by students in school if three conditions are met,  which are: 1) The product is approved by the Food and Drug Administration; 2) The parent/guardian must submit a form allowing the student to use the topical sunscreen; and 3) The student must submit a form stating that they are aware of the proper use and safety precautions of the product and will handle it appropriately.

The school entity may rescind or restrict the use of the sunscreen if the student does not follow the school rules and/or the student is unwilling or unable to keep the nonaerosol sunscreen product guarded from other students’ use.

The school entity must provide written notice to the parent/guardian if they rescind or restrict the use of the sunscreen.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has provided two forms for school entity usage that can be adapted to meet a school entity’s requirements.

Parent-Guardian Sunscreen Form (Word)

Student Sunscreen Form (Word)

States File Suit Over New School Meal Guidelines (April 6, 2019)

In its mission to roll back nutritional standards that were developed by the Obama administration to fight childhood obesity, the Trump administration has issued a final rule that permanently delays and eliminates sodium targets and cuts in half the amount of whole grains that need to be served in schools participating in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs.

According to the New York Times, critics of the move aver that the roll back was enacted  without doing any scientific research beforehand and despite the science underlying the requirements for healthier meals that shows that healthier school meals can improve the overall health and school preparedness of students.

Now, USDA is claiming that the Obama-era rules were burdensome for school districts and resulted in increased costs and decreased participation in the federal school lunch program. The USDA also asserts that certain states need the flexibility to “plan and serve meals that are economically feasible and acceptable to their students and communities,” and are “culturally appropriate.”

According to Anne Harkavy, Executive Director of Democracy Forward, which is representing the Center for Science in the Public Interest and Healthy School Food Maryland, “This [action] is not just wrong; it’s illegal.” Critics also claim that the move puts the health of more than 30 million of the nation’s economically disadvantaged students at risk.

Echoing Ms. Harkavy’s concerns, on April 3rd a coalition of six states and the District of Columbia, along with advocacy organizations, sued the Trump administration in federal court over the rollback, claiming that the administration illegally issued rules that weakened requirements that school meals contain less salt and more whole grains. The suits claim the USDA violated the Administrative Procedure Act, issuing its rules with little public notice and no reasoned explanation and against overwhelming opposition from the public.

State Lawmakers Push for Trauma-Informed Practices (April 6, 2019)

People often experience and have survived unimaginable traumatic events, and  experiencing trauma affects everyone differently. Some end up experiencing suicidal thoughts that can result in attempts to take their own life. Of course, experiencing trauma is just one risk factor that can lead to suicide (depression and other mental illnesses can also contribute), but its significance cannot be overlooked.

According to WHYY, research shows that about half of Philadelphia County’s  children experience at least one traumatic event before they reach the age of 17. Such adverse childhood experiences (ACES) can include living in poverty, experiencing and/or witnessing violence, or having a parent be incarcerated.

Now, Research for Action (RFA), which is a nonprofit organization, has announced what they call “promising models” for US schools to consider.  The study also recommends that schools provide professional development that reflects the complexity and sensitivity of trauma and that PA legislators mandate a statewide plan for creating trauma-informed schools along with the necessary funds to provide needed financial assistance to schools.

Currently, 11 states require and/or encourage trauma-informed practices through state policy and RFA cites Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin as leaders in trauma-informed education.

Last fall, PA state Senators Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia, and Patrick Browne, R-Lehigh, began a bipartisan push to mandate a trauma-informed system of education throughout Pennsylvania. Prior to that, in June 2018 the General Assembly passed Act 44, which created a $60 million school safety fund and called for schools to provide mandatory training that included trauma-informed education. Then, in August 2018, Governor Wolf’s school safety task force also called for trauma-informed strategies to be implemented.

The federal government has also made steps to fund trauma-informed methods by passing the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act in October 2018. The law authorizes grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to increase student access to evidence-based trauma-support services and mental health care.

Many thanks to WHYY for the information in this article and for its support for traumatized children.