Category: State Government Actions

Civics Test Requirement Bill Goes to Gov. Wolf (June 15, 2018)

On Wednesday, June 6, 2018, the PA House approved an amended version of HB 564 by a vote of 167-27. Ā The PA Senate had unanimously amended and approved the bill the previous day. HB 564 mandates a locally developed test of U.S. history, government and civics be given to seventh- through 12th-graders. The House had originally passed its version of the bill on April 16 by a 191-4 vote.

According to the bill,Ā  school districts would administer a citizenship test at least once to students. The exams would test each student’s understanding of the “nature, purpose, principles and structure of the United States constitutional democracy… and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.ā€ Students who score perfect on the exam will be awarded a certificate developed by the state Education Department.

A school district can use the U.S.Ā Citizenship and Immigration Services Test to satisfy the requirements for the office, and schools will be required to report how many students took the test and how many passed. However, passing the test would not be a graduation requirement.

Governor Wolf has publicly stated his intent to sign the bill.

CHIP Reminds Schools to Disseminate Info to Students (June 14, 2018)

Patricia M. Allan, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Childrenā€™s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has sent out a memo reminding school districts that Pennsylvania Act 84 of 2015 requires that public and nonpublic schools receive electronic notice of the Childrenā€™s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) on an annual basis no later than August 15. A flyer has been created and is to be shared with every parent or guardian of every student enrolled in the school district during the school year. The flyer and many more resources can be found on the CHIP website at www.CHIPcoversPAkids.com, under CHIP Resources.

CHIP covers uninsured kids and teens up to age 19 who are not eligible for Medical Assistance, providing comprehensive health insurance for such things as routine doctor visits, prescriptions, dental, eye care, eyeglasses, mental health.

School districts are directed to disseminate a CHIP flyer to each school under their jurisdiction at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year as part of parent packets or other information that is prepared for students to take home at that time.

PA Senate Education Committee Approves Graduation Reforms Bill (June 14, 2018)

On Thursday, June 14, 2018, the PA Senate Education Committee amended and approved Senate Bill 1095, which provides multiple options for students to demonstrate readiness for high school graduation. The bill also eliminates the existing requirement for project-based assessments.

In particular, SB 1095 revises the current requirement that calls for students to pass the Keystone Exams in Literature, Algebra I and Biology in order to graduate. Instead, measures of success are aligned to a studentā€™s career goals and reflect the coursework and achievements earned. Under the bill, pathways would include meeting local grade-based requirements and demonstrating competency through the completion of one of four options. One option is achieving an established composite score based on performance on all three Keystone Exams. A second option is achieving established equivalent scores on a variety of alternate assessments, achieving acceptance in a registered apprenticeship program after graduation, achieving admission to higher education, or achieving success in dual enrollment/postsecondary courses. A third option is demonstrating competency through evidence specific to career and technical education (CTE) for students who are CTE concentrators. A fourth option is to present rigorous and compelling pieces of objective evidence relating to a studentā€™s career, military, or postsecondary plans that reflect readiness for graduation and which have been approved for use by the PA Board of Education.

Senate Moves On Amended Safety Bill (May 28, 2018)

The PA Senate is continuing to move along SB 1142, a school safety bill which would provide for the creation and implementation of the Safe2Say Program, an anonymous system of reporting unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent or criminal activities, or the threat of such activities, in schools.Ā  On April, 24, 2018 the bill was reported as committed unanimously by the Senate Education Committee and, last Monday, Senator Pat Browne offered amendment A07154, which provides for legislative intent, adds definitions, further provides for confidentiality and establishes penalties for false reports.Ā  The amendment was agreed to via voice vote and the bill went over in its order as amended.

PDH Issues Final Notice to Schools Regarding Dental Hygiene Plan (April 25, 2018)

On Tuesday, April 24, 2018, Jill Clodgo, RN, Acting Chief for the Division of School Health at the PA Dept. of Health issued a Final Notice regarding the need for school entities to submit their Dental Hygiene Authorization Plan by April 30, 2018 if that school entity plans to implement a Dental Hygiene program for the 2018-19 school year. The Dental Hygiene Authorization Plan page will close for data entry on April 30, 2018. Dental hygiene authorization plans will not be able to be entered after that date and the school will automatically revert to the Mandated Dental Program. Ā There will be no exceptions.

Any SHARRS user may ā€œSubmitā€ the plan. It does not have to be the Superintendent/CEO. If the page says ā€œSchool Editing,ā€ then it has not been submitted and cannot be accessed or approved by the Division of School Health. The Division of School Health does not want to see schools lose this valuable program or reimbursement, so it is imperative that the required plans are submitted before April 30, 2018.