Category: State Government Actions

Wolf Admin. Visits LCTI to Showcase Importance of Career and Technical Education (April 26, 2022)

Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Executive Deputy Secretary Dr. Debora Carrera Lehigh Career and Technical Institute (LCTI) to showcase the importance of career and technical education (CTE) celebrate LCTI’s 50th anniversary. She also recognized the governor’s  commitment to creating multiple pathways to success for students, as evidenced by a proposed $6 million increase for career and technical education in his final budget.

Over the past seven years, the Wolf Administration has invested $116 million in science, computer science and technical education, including $80 million in the innovative PAsmart program, and $36 million in apprenticeships and workforce training. Since 2015, the number of career and technical education students earning industry-recognized credentials has increased by 38.7 percent and the number of credentials earned by students enrolled in CTE programs has grown by 33.6 percent.

LCTI is one of the largest career and technical centers in the United States serving over 2,900 students, covering 47 acres, and offering more than 40 programs in areas like arts and humanities, business and communication technology, engineering and advanced manufacturing, health and human services, and industrial technology, as well as a wide range of academic classes in their Academic Center, which is designed to prepare students for success in college and their careers. The five-wing building includes 450,000 square feet of labs filled with cutting-edge technology.

According to a study, 80 percent of high school students who paired academic courses with rigorous CTE met college and career readiness goals, compared to 63 percent of students who focused solely on academics.

To view the entire press release, click here.

DHS Recognizes Importance of Holistic Supports in Child Abuse Prevention (April 26, 2022)

PA Department of Human Services (DHS) Acting Secretary Meg Snead recently visited the Bucks County Human Services Hub as part of DHS’s effort to raise awareness of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. The Bucks County Human Services Division utilizes the Hub as a ‘one-stop-shop’ to link residents with social and health services able to address their essential needs like food, shelter, and health care, among others. 

The Hub provides Bucks County residents with a full-time resource navigator that connects to resources like food assistance, parenting and maternal care, employment, medical services, housing assistance, and more. Having essential needs met like food, shelter, and healthcare are important pieces of child abuse prevention.

A study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development points to improved financial stability among families helping mitigate the circumstances that lead to child neglect and abuse. 

The Bucks County Human Services Hub supports DHS’s Office of Children, Youth, and Families’ work in helping families and protecting children in the region.

In addition, DHS and its partners at the Pa Family Support Alliance (PFSA) have hosted events throughout the month to raise awareness and provide education on child abuse prevention.  

Pennsylvanians who may suspect child abuse or neglect to report to ChildLine, the commonwealth’s 24/7 hotline for anyone concerned about the safety or well-being of a child. To report a concern, call 1-800-932-0313. Learn more about the signs of potential abuse at www.dhs.pa.gov/keepkidssafe. 

DHS encourages parents and families who may be struggling to reach out for help. Anyone struggling with mental health and in need of referrals to helpful programs can call Pennsylvania’s Support & Referral Helpline, which is operated 24/7 by skilled caseworkers who can provide emotional support during this difficult period. The number to call is 1-855-284-2494. For TTY, dial 724-631-5600. Pennsylvanians can apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, cash assistance, Medical Assistance and other programs any time at www.compass.state.pa.us. Additionally, the 2-1-1 hotline operated by the United Way can connect people and families to local resources that can help during the public health crisis. 

Learn more about the Bucks County Human Services Hub here. 

Education Secretary Dr. Noe Ortega to Depart, Gov. Wolf Names Eric Hagarty as New Acting Secretary (April 26, 2022)

Governor Tom Wolf has announced that PDE Secretary Dr. Noe Ortega will resign his position with the commonwealth on April 29, 2022. The governor also announced his intention to name Eric Hagarty to serve as Acting Secretary.

Prior to Secretary, Ortega  served as the Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for the Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education (OPHE) at PDE. Before joining PDE in 2017, Ortega spent eight years at the University of Michigan (U-M), where he held several academic and administrative roles, including working as the Assistant Director and Senior Research Associate at the National Center for Institutional Diversity and as the Managing Director for the National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good. Ortega also spent nearly a decade working in the areas of financial aid and enrollment management at both public and private universities in Texas and served as a P-16 Specialist for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. He also spent nearly seven years as director of a language institute in Japan where he trained teachers in the area of early childhood language acquisition.

Following Secretary Ortega’s departure, Hagarty will serve in the acting position. Hagarty currently serves as Governor Wolf’s Deputy Chief of Staff responsible for implementing the governor’s priorities and policies relating to education, including the historic â€œLevel Up” program to invest more in Pennsylvania’s most chronically underfunded schools, the COVID-19 vaccine initiative for teachers and the safe return to in-person learning, the first regulatory reforms to Pennsylvania’s charter school system, and generational investments in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).

To read the press release, click here.

PDE Announces Pre-K Counts Applications; Due Date is May 11th (April 25, 2022)

On April 20, 2022 Acting Secretary Pennsylvania Department of Education Noe Ortega released a PennLink titled Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Request for Applications Announced – Action Required. The memo states that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is announcing a competitive Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts (PA PKC) Request for Applications (RFA) 

This RFA is intended to support providers in preparing to serve and enroll children by September 2022. The RFA is being released in April 2022 to give providers time to conduct outreach to families; recruit, hire and train staff; and plan for implementing the program pending grant approval.

Applicants must submit Letters of Intent to [email protected] by 3 PM on May 11, 2022. Only applicants that submit a complete Letter of Intent by the deadline will be permitted to apply for funding. 

Eligible applicants must provide assurance that they operate in full compliance with Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Statute, Regulations, and Guidance. Applicants should thoroughly review Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Statute, Regulations, and Guidance prior to submission of a Letter of Intent to apply to ensure an understanding of the program requirements and expectations of compliance if an application is successful.

All information relevant to the application process is available in the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Request for Applications (RFA) Guidance  Applicants should review all information in that document before submitting the Letter of Intent. Any questions should be sent to [email protected].

Programs that do not submit the Letter of Intent will not be able to access or submit a funding application in eGrants. Late submissions will not be accepted. Agencies submitting a fully complete Letter of Intent by the due date will be notified when the PA PKC application is open in eGrants.

IRRC Seeks Public Comment on Academic Standards and Assessment (April 25, 2022)

The PA State Board of Education (Board) recently submitted a final-form regulation titled “Academic Standards and Assessment.”  You can obtain a copy of the final-form regulation from IRRC’s website at http://www.irrc.state.pa.us/regulations/RegSrchRslts.cfm?ID=3314.
It will be considered by IRRC at its public meeting on Thursday, May 19, 2022, beginning at 10 am in the 14th floor conference room, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA.  The agenda and any changes to the time or date of the meeting will be posted on IRRC’s website at http://www.irrc.state.pa.us/meetings/.  In addition, the public meeting will be livestreamed and accessible through the IRRC website.
Any comments on this final-form regulation should be submitted to the Board prior to the 48-hour blackout-out period, which begins at 10 am on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.  The Regulatory Review Act requires IRRC to embargo any comments it receives during the 48-hour blackout period.  Any comments received during the blackout period will not be reviewed by IRRC’s Commissioners until the start of the meeting.  For this reason, it is better to comment before the blackout period begins. 
For substantive questions or comments regarding the regulation, please contact Karen Molchanow, Executive Director, State Board of Education, 333 Market Street, 1st Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126, [email protected].  Please also provide IRRC with a copy of any comments by email to [email protected].  All correspondence and documents relating to a regulation submitted to IRRC are a matter of public record and appear on the IRRC website.
Questions about the regulatory review process should be directed to [email protected].