On October 14, 2022 PDE Bureau of Special Education Director Carole L. Clancy sent a PennLink titled Revised Special Education Form Communication Plan for a Student Who is Deaf/Hard of Hearing or Deaf-Blind for the purpose of informing local educational agencies (LEAs) that the Communication Plan for a Student Who is Deaf/Hard of Hearing or Deaf-Blind on the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) website has been revised.

The purpose of the revised Communication Plan for a Student Who is Deaf/Hard of Hearing or Deaf-Blind is to establish discussion among IEP team members who review the student’s needs based on communication skills and access. The Communication Plan must be completed prior to the development of the IEP. LEAs should implement this Communication Plan by July 2023.  

The revised Communication Plan for a Student Who is Deaf/Hard of Hearing or Deaf-Blind and the annotated version is available now on the PaTTAN website at www.pattan.net.  The Special Education Forms tab is located on the top of the home page for easy access.  A training video on this process is available at: https://www.pattan.net/Legal/Special-Education-and-Gifted-Forms.   If you have any questions concerning this information, please contact Jeanette Alexander at 717.783.6882 or [email protected]v.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PDH) has announced that vaccine providers across the commonwealth are prepared to begin administering updated pediatric COVID-19 booster vaccines. The vaccines, which provide additional protection against the original coronavirus and Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5, were approved today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after receiving emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

The new Pfizer bivalent pediatric vaccine is available for children 5-11 years of age, while the Moderna bivalent booster shot has been approved for individuals 6-17 years of age. Last month, updated booster vaccines were approved for everyone 12 and older for the Pfizer vaccine and 18 and older for Moderna’s booster shot. 

“The updated COVID-19 booster shots restore protection that may have waned since previous vaccinations and provide added protection against the Omicron variant, including the highly transmissible BA.4 and BA.5 strains, which account for the vast majority of COVID-19 infections in the United States,” Acting Health Secretary and Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson said. “With the seasons changing and more activities shifting to indoors, now is a great time for everyone to receive the most up to date protection available to combat the virus.” 

The FDA notes that children must have already received a primary vaccination series of any vaccine to be eligible for the updated booster shot. Children are also required to wait at least two months since completing their primary series before being eligible to receive the updated bivalent booster vaccine. 

“More school-aged children can now receive the highest level of protection available from COVID-19 and its variants with the availability of the updated booster shots. I encourage all eligible Pennsylvanians to get an updated booster shot to protect themselves, their families and their communities from the harmful effects of the virus,” Johnson concluded. 

To view the press release, click here.

Continuing its commitment to provide a high-quality education to students across the commonwealth, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced that it has developed new educator competencies to increase literacy. The competencies identify the knowledge and skills educators need to effectively teach reading based on current research.

“Having the ability to read is essential for individuals to thrive, and yet we know that many learners struggle with literacy,” said Acting Secretary of Education Eric Hagarty. “Providing future and current educators with clearly identified methods and skills will enable them to better support their students and use proven strategies to help them become proficient readers.”

PDE will provide structured literacy supports along with professional development and training to educators who hold instructional certificates in early childhood education, elementary-middle level, PK-12 Special Education, English as a Second Language, and Reading Specialist. Structured literacy focuses on five essential components of reading – phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.

Under amendments to the Pennsylvania School Code, signed into law this year by Governor Tom Wolf, PDE was charged with establishing a program of professional development and applied practice in structured literacy. The continuing professional development plans of each school entity must include training in structured literacy competencies and standards for the five specified certification programs. Educator preparation programs must integrate the structured literacy competencies and standards for the five specified certification programs no later than August 1, 2024.

Structured literacy provides a strong core of foundational skills in the language systems of English; integrates listening, speaking, reading, spelling, and writing; and emphasizes the structure of language across the speech sound system, the writing system, the structure of sentences, the meaningful parts of words, the relationship among words and the organization of spoken and written discourse.

Literacy instruction focuses on decoding — the ability to apply knowledge of letter-sound relationships to correctly pronounce written words. This helps learners recognize familiar words quickly and figure out new words. Structured literacy instruction ensures that all students have access to effective reading instruction. To view the press release, click here.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has joined the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) to promote the PA FAFSA Go! initiative and remind students to fill out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the coming year.

“Over the past few years, FAFSA completion has been down and millions of dollars have been left on the table by Pennsylvania learners,” said Dr. Tanya I. Garcia, PDE’s Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for Postsecondary and Higher Education. “We want to make sure that all students who are eligible to complete a FAFSA get the assistance they need to access affordable higher education.”

The FAFSA is an application required to apply for federal student aid such as federal grants, work-study and loans to help pay for college.

PA FAFSA Go! is a cross-collaborative campaign to bring together professionals who are supporting high school seniors and postsecondary students in completing their first FAFSA or their renewal FAFSA for 2023-24.

The high school class of 2021 left behind an estimated $3.75 billion in Pell grants by not completing the FAFSA – dollars that students do not have to repay. To apply and qualify for a Pennsylvania state grant, learners must have their FAFSA on file as well.

PDE has teamed up with the Governor’s Office, along with the PA Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), the PA Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (PASFAA), the PA Association of College Admission Counseling (PACAC), and the PA School Counselors Association (PSCA) to create the PA FAFSA Go! campaign – urging students to complete their 2023-24 FAFSA, which became available on October 1, without delay.

PA FAFSA Go! partners are committed to providing support for FAFSA completion events, directing students to resources at their high school or postsecondary institution, providing a toolkit of resources for schools, students, and their families and ensuring that Pennsylvania learners are not missing any of the free dollars for which they qualify. Professionals at institutions of higher education and school districts can commit to FOCUS on FAFSA at PDE’s website, which will provide resources and ensure everyone is at the table to help.

To view the press release, click here.