On February 12, 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) released recommendations from its Blueprint Workgroup, an interdisciplinary group comprised of representation from state and local governments, health care, education, service providers, managed care, and family advocates. The workgroup sought to evaluate challenges children and youth with complex, co-occurring physical and behavioral health care needs and their families experience like accessing care and services that adapt to a youth’s changing circumstances and needs, lessening the likelihood of child welfare system involvement, reducing trauma experienced by instability, prioritizing emotional well-being, and supporting family- and youth-driven care and choice.

One in six children have a diagnosed behavioral or developmental disorder, and rates of depression and anxiety are growing among children and young adults. Youth with co-occurring physical health, behavioral health, and/or intellectual disability or autism-related needs are considered complex cases because they require close coordination between multiple care and service providers in order to ensure the child and their family are receiving comprehensive supports and services that meet their unique and evolving needs.

Care coordination for these cases involve multiple county and state-level entities that coordinate health care, education, and disability services, and, at times, the child and their family may be involved with child welfare, foster care, and justice systems. Children and youth with complex needs are also more likely to have experienced abuse, neglect, and trauma, disruptions to their education, communications challenges, and a complex diagnostic history causing delayed or incorrect services. These circumstances create opportunities for confusion and lack of communication that can affect care. 

Children and youth with complex needs deserve access to the care and supports they need without barriers, delays, or risks of new or additional trauma, and their families and guardians deserve support as they navigate systems of care for their child. The Blueprint Workgroup was established to help guide systems of care towards a renewed focus on youth and family engagement, respect for individual choice, support for the caring workforce, better collaboration and integrated planning between systems that serve youth with complex needs, and timely, accessible, and coordinated service delivery for youth that is responsive to their evolving needs.

Recommendations from the workgroup include:
-Prioritizing prevention through early identification of needs, accurate and timely diagnosis, and prompt service intervention;
-Improving information sharing and resource navigation among child-serving systems of care;
-Developing clear and strong guidance to inform multi-system case planning and management that prioritizes family engagement, evidence-based practices, peer supports between families, streamlining processes for families, and avoids trauma or re-traumatization that can occur when a case information has to be presented by the youth or their family repeatedly;
-Supporting a qualified, dedicated workforce, assessing payment models, and increasing efficiencies for people working in this system where appropriate;
-Conducting a system needs and gaps analysis across child-serving systems to determine opportunities for improvement and establishing multidisciplinary care coordination teams where needed; and,
-Building further understanding of trauma and embed trauma-informed care and principles across systems that serve and interact with children and youth with complex needs and their families.

Moving forward, DHS and Blueprint Workgroup members will begin work to determine work necessary to implement recommendations and identify barriers to implementation at the state and local level. The recommendations outlined in the workgroup’s report are a first step to strengthen supports for children and youth with complex needs and their families. Pennsylvania was also recently selected as one of eight states participating in a children’s behavioral health policy collaborative organized by Health Management Associates, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, the National Association of Medicaid Directors, the Child Welfare League, and the American Public Human Services Association. The convening will build on this work by helping better align multi-system work to support youth with behavioral health needs. 

To learn more about the Blueprint Workgroup and DHS’ work to support children and youth with complex needs, visit https://www.dhs.pa.gov/Services/Children/Pages/Complex-Case-Planning.aspx.

On February 7, 2024, PA Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin sent a PnnLink message to LEAs titled PA Kindergarten Entry Inventory – 2024-2025 School Year. The memo states that all elementary schools are encouraged to implement Pennsylvania’s Kindergarten Entry Inventory (PA KEI) in the 2024-2025 school year to assist in meeting federal requirements. PA KEI is a reliable reporting tool that offers teachers an instructional strategy for understanding and tracking a student’s proficiency at kindergarten entry. The PA KEI is available to all local education agencies (LEAs) at no cost.

The PA KEI collects information on a consistent set of standards-based indicators across the commonwealth. The PA KEI is based on Pennsylvania’s Learning Standards for Early Childhood and the Pennsylvania Core Standards. PA KEI includes 30 indicators and provides a comprehensive profile that includes the domains of: Social and Emotional Development; English Language Arts; Mathematics; Approaches to Learning; and Health, Wellness and Physical Development. PA KEI is intended to be used by kindergarten teachers to record a student’s demonstration of skills within the first 45 calendar days of the kindergarten year. More information is available at www.kei-pa.org.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides opportunities to strengthen the contribution of high-quality early childhood education in school reform and improvement efforts. The law recognizes that school success starts before a student enters the K-12 setting and calls on states to describe how they will assist LEAs and elementary schools to collaborate with early childhood education programs, and to invest in evidence-based practices. ESSA supports early learning and LEA collaboration in three main ways: (1) expanding access to high-quality early learning; (2) encouraging alignment and collaboration from birth through third grade; and (3) supporting educators. The PA KEI is a tangible tool to assist LEAs in understanding the comprehensive learning strengths and needs of students entering the K-12 setting, establishing common expectations and language for beginning and extending collaborative conversations with pre-kindergarten programs and families, and planning and implementing joint professional development opportunities that focus on strengthening evidence-based practices for young learners.

Implementing the PA KEI requires a Point of Contact (POC) who will serve as the liaison between LEA administrative staff, implementing kindergarten teachers, the Office of Child Development and Learning (OCDEL), and data systems staff. A dedicated POC ensures effective communication and implementation throughout the PA KEI process.

To initiate PA KEI participation in the 2024-2025 school year, send the POC name, email address, and phone number to [email protected] by May 30, 2024.

All kindergarten teachers who have not previously participated must complete a required professional development online course and obtain a certificate of completion to gain access to the web-based data system. Teachers with an expired proficient user certificate (more than five years since certification) must also complete the professional development online course. More information about taking the online course is available here.

Below is the tentative training schedule and timeline for participation:
*March-September: Required professional development online course available
*August-September: PA KEI systems professional development online opportunities available
*By the start of school: Implementing kindergarten teachers must have a required professional development online course certificate of completion on file to gain systems access
*45 calendar days from start of school: Observation and evidence collection/scoring completed
*60 calendar days from start of school: Data submissions (student outcomes) finalized within data system

Questions about this communication may be sent to [email protected].

On February 7, 2024, PDE Bureau of Special Education Director Carole L. Clancy disseminated a PennLink communiqué to LEAs titled State Performance Plan Data Requirements – Postsecondary School Survey – Cohort 3 (MP4S). The memo references the accountability requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA) with regard to the secondary transition mandate by which each state is to determine, for the state as a whole, the extent to which students are achieving transition outcomes as stated in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) (State Performance Plan – Indicator 14).

To meet this federal reporting requirement, once over a five-year period, each local educational agency (LEA) is required to survey all students with IEPs who graduate, dropout, or age out. The My Plan For Success process (MP4S) will be used to gather this data. The random sampling process used to assign each LEA to one of the five years in each cycle ensures that the LEAs selected each year are representative of the state as a whole with regard to LEA size, disability category, ethnicity, gender, and exiting status.

During the 2022-2023 school year, LEAs assigned to Target Sampling Cohort 3 completed the exit process. The LEAs assigned to MP4S Cohort 3 need to be aware of the following points as they must fulfill the post-survey requirements during the 2023-2024 school year:
-No earlier than one year after the student left school and no later than September 30, 2024, the LEA will need to administer the MP4S post survey to former students who had an IEP and who graduated, dropped out, or aged out at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. (These former students should have been administered the exit survey in Spring of 2023). All this information will be entered by your LEA through the Leader Services online system.
-Intermediate Unit and Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) transition consultants will monitor the LEA’s progress and assist as needed with the MP4S procedure.
-The Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Bureau of Special Education will provide training on the implementation and electronic submission of the MP4S Target Year 1 to LEAs via a webinar scheduled for April 19, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Please register for this webinar at https://www.pattan.net/Events/Webinar/Course-3290/Events/Session-39197.

For questions about this process, contact Hillary Mangis, Educational Consultant at the PaTTAN-Pittsburgh Office, at (800) 446-5607, ext. 6878 (inside PA) or via email at [email protected].

On February 6, 2024, Governor Josh Shapiro presented his 2024-25 budget proposal to the General Assembly and to the people of Pennsylvania. The budget prioritizes economic opportunity and access to higher education and makes historic investments in public education. The Governor’s 2024-25 budget proposal takes advantage of the Commonwealth’s significant surplus and does not raise taxes, In fact, even if every initiative is funded the Commonwealth will still have an $11 billion surplus by the end of FY2024-25.

Creating Opportunity by Building on Historic Education Investments & Making Progress to Support Every Pennsylvania Child
In the 2023-24 budget, Governor Shapiro delivered the largest increase in K-12 basic education funding in Pennsylvania history and secured universal free breakfast for 1.7 million students. The budget builds on that historic progress by acting on the work of the Basic Education Funding Commission and delivering a comprehensive solution on K-12 education in Pennsylvania. Governor Shapiro knows ensuring all Pennsylvania children have the opportunity to succeed is critical to our Commonwealth’s future – and that is why he is proposing investments to fully fund public schools, support our teachers, and provide high-quality, affordable, and accessible childcare and early learning opportunities for families.

Continued Historic Investments in Basic Education Funding
Building on the progress made in the 2023-24 budget, the 2024-25 budget proposal includes a historic nearly $1.1 billion increase in basic education funding – the largest increase in Pennsylvania history, recognizing the work of the BEFC and the need to direct these investments to the schools that need them the most. Of this significant increase, nearly $900 million is proposed as a first-year adequacy investment as recommended by the BEFC. The remaining $200 million will be distributed through the Basic Education Funding Formula.

Funding Special Education and Protecting Vulnerable Students
Additionally, this budget includes supports for Pennsylvania students in their classrooms, including a $50 million increase for special education funding to ensure school districts have the basic resources necessary to provide special education services to students with disabilities and special needs.

Ensuring Safe and Healthy School Facilities
Pennsylvania students cannot receive an adequate education if their classrooms aren’t safe and healthy to learn in and for teachers to work in. The 2024-25 budget calls for continuing a $50 million annual investment in school safety and security improvements and $300 million in sustainable funding for environmental repair projects in school buildings. These investments will help schools address the environmental issues that threaten the health, safety, and opportunity of students. 

Recruiting and Retaining the Talent Our Schools and Students Need
Schools across the Commonwealth are facing critical staff shortages – particularly those serving low-income students and students of color – and helping to fill staffing gaps for critical teacher and education positions is an essential part of ensuring every student has the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed.
The 2024-25 budget invests $10 million for the Educator Talent Recruitment Account and $450,000 to support the Talent Recruitment Office at the Pennsylvania Department of Education to provide sustainable funding for colleges to increase participation in the education workforce by covering tuition, fees, supplies or other costs that serve as barriers to secondary school students enrolling in college coursework prior to high school graduation. 
To further strengthen the educator pipeline and put more teachers in Pennsylvania classrooms, the Governor’s budget increases funding for student teacher stipends by $5 million to a total of $15 million to support Pennsylvanians training to become certified and committed educators in the Commonwealth.

Protecting Vulnerable Populations: Supporting the Intellectual Disability and Autism Community
Governor Shapiro has heard from those with intellectual disabilities or autism – and those who care for them. He knows that we need to do something different to support home and community-based services and address the shortage of direct support professionals in our Commonwealth, because what we’re doing now isn’t working.
The Governor’s budget supports the intellectual disability and autism community by making a major investment:
-$215 million – and draws down another $266 million in federal funds – to provide more resources for home and community-based service providers, so they in turn can pay competitive rates to attract and retain the staff who provide these essential services.
-$36 million to help get more Pennsylvanians the home and community-based services they need.

Increasing Access to Menstrual Hygiene Products

Governor Shapiro recognizes that access to affordable menstrual hygiene products is an important factor in students’ health, and no student should have to miss school due to not being able to afford basic necessities like menstrual products.

To ensure Pennsylvania students are given the necessary tools to succeed in the classroom, this budget proposes $3 million to provide menstrual hygiene products at no cost to students in schools.

Supporting the Mental Health of Every Pennsylvanian
In the 2023-24 budget, Governor Shapiro secured $100 million for student mental health services and $20 million for county mental health support. The 2024-25 budget matches those investments and takes a step further by investing:
-$100 million in mental health funding for K-12 schools, building upon one-time federal funds and will ensure schools have the continued resources to provide mental health services to students and staff.
-Increasing funding for community-based mental health services by an additional $20 million this year and calling for additional funds in successive years, reaching an overall increase of $60 million per year increase by 2025-26.
-$10 million for 988 crisis line operations to enhance Pennsylvania’s crisis intervention services, expand mental health resources, and ensure competent and resilient staffers are available to support those in need.

Learn more about Governor Shapiro’s budget here: shapirobudget.pa.gov.

Watch the Governor’s full budget address to a joint session of the House and Senate here. See  for the Governor’s full remarks as prepared for delivery.

Click to read the full budget in brief here.