All school employees in Pennsylvania will receive three hours of safety and security training every year, at no charge to their schools, through a new training program grant approved on March 30th by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s (PCCD) School Safety and Security Committee.

“Every parent in America knows the fear of sending their children to school and worrying whether they might not come home at the end of the day,” said PCCD Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. “The horrors of Sandy Hook, of Uvalde, of Nashville, of Roxborough High School, of Westinghouse Academy and countless other communities are what keep parents up at night. We cannot harden our hearts to the violence that is plaguing our schools and our communities.

“Every kid deserves to be safe and feel safe, whether they’re in the classroom, on the playing field, waiting for the bus or walking home from school. Once launched, this new training program will empower and educate teachers, administrators, counselors, librarians, cafeteria workers and more on topics like situational awareness, suicide, bullying, substance abuse and emergency training drills. This is a critical investment in our kids’ safety and security.”

Established in 2018 by Article XIII-B of the Pennsylvania Public School Code, the School Safety and Security Committee is tasked with several responsibilities, including:
-Administering funding allocated for School Safety and Security Grants and related programs;
-Developing criteria and standards for conducting school safety and security assessments;
-Issuing surveys to measure school safety and security preparedness and gauge availability of mental health services and supports within schools;
-Establishing training requirements for school resource officers, school police officers, and school security guards; and
-Developing model plans, guidelines, and resources focused on trauma-informed approaches in schools and K-12 threat assessment.

The Committee committed $4.8 million in state funding to support the development and launch of a new School Safety and Security Training program for school employees and School Safety and Security Coordinators, pursuant to Act 55 of 2022. The school employee training will include an hour-long focus training on emergency training drills, including fire, natural disaster, active shooter, hostage situations and bomb threats, and the identification or recognition of student behavior that may indicate a threat the safety of that student, other students, school employees, other individuals, schools or the community. The school safety coordinator training will include these topics as well as more in-depth training on emergency preparedness, physical security assessments and securing facilities, and coordination and communication with law enforcement and emergency personnel. More information on these trainings will be released in the next few months and will be announced when available.

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget would invest $100 million in new School Safety and Security Grants (including funding for statewide training), as well as $105 million in state funding for the Violence Intervention and Prevention Grants program administered by the Committee. The Shapiro-Davis budget plan also would invest $100 million this year in student mental health, so schools can draw down the funding they need and use it to fund mental health care for kids.

On April 4, 2023 the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced the creation of a Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program to instruct K-12 students on the political, economic, and social contributions of individuals with disabilities. Under the program, schools can apply for up to $30,000 in grant funding to implement disability inclusive curriculum.

“In Pennsylvania, we are focused on ensuring every student has access to the educational resources they need, no matter their race, gender identity, language, or background,” said Acting Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. “By teaching our children about influential individuals with disabilities, such as Harriet Tubman, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Stephen Hawking, and Michael J. Fox, we can demonstrate the profound, positive impact that individuals with disabilities have on our society and create a more tolerant and inclusive world.”

PDE is requesting applications from public school entities and non-public schools interested in developing or expanding focused efforts and experiences to engage in the pilot program. Applications must be submitted by 3:00 PM on Monday, May 15, 2023. Schools can implement the new curriculum beginning in the 2023-24 school year.

Funding will be granted to successful applicants for a three-year period from the date of the award through June 30, 2026. A maximum of $10,000 per year is available to each school entity or non-public school entity.

The Disability Inclusive Curriculum Pilot Program, added to the Pennsylvania Public School Code last summer, is intended to promote topics and subject matter for instruction to all students, will help learners understand that disability is a natural part of the human condition, and will emphasize the critical contributions of individuals with disabilities. 

Disability Equality in Education led the effort to create legislation for disability inclusive curriculum, and its Director Alan Holdsworth said, “We look forward to working with schools and districts as they begin to embed disability into classroom lessons and conversations.”

The program will impact the overall culture and environment of schools by reducing the stigma of disability by including disability as a part of a school-wide strategic plan.

Governor Shapiro believes that the foundation for building strong and safe communities starts with an adequate and equitable public education system. His 2023-24 budget is the first step toward a comprehensive solution to improve our public schools, push education dollars out equitably, support our teachers, and invest in targeted solutions that meet students’ needs at every level.

For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education, please visit the website.

According to PennWatch, on March 21, 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced $1.5 million in grant funding is being made available to institutions of higher education (IHE) that partner with school districts to expedite the process to become a special education teacher.

The Accelerated Program for PK-12 Special Education Teacher Certification will provide grants to IHEs that have approved PK-12 special education certification programs and who partner with at least one LEA to provide those who currently hold bachelor’s degrees with summer field experiences, mentoring by experienced special educators during the school year, and deliver a postbaccalaureate program for PK-12 special education teacher certification within 18 months.

Programs must offer most of the coursework during summer 2023 and summer 2024; provide a combination of in-person and virtual options for flexibility and support to the accelerated program participants working full-time; and ensure a minimum of 12 weeks of student teaching.

The maximum grant award for an IHE is $100,000. Grant funds will be available through December 31, 2024.

Interested IHEs must apply by April 7, 2023 through the Attract-Prepare-Retain (APR) Repository.

A webinar will be held today (3/22/23) from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM. Sessions will be recorded and made available on the APR Repository for those unable to atttend.

Source: PennWatch.

To read the full PennWatch article, click here.

On March 16, 2023 two bills, Senate Bill 512 and Senate Bill 513, were introduced in the PA Senate that would require that each school, as well as other places where school activities occur, have at least one centrally located Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

The proposed legislation would also require all coaches in after-school programs to be certified to perform CPR and that schools must have emergency response teams and response plans for a sudden cardiac arrest. Click here for full article from the Philadelphia Inquirer.