Category: State Government Actions

PDH Provides COVID-19 Update, Highlights PA’s Transition Toward Endemic (February 25, 2022)

On February 25, 2022, Acting Secretary of Health Keara Klinepeter provided an update on the commonwealth’s response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, and highlighted preparations being made to continue protecting public health, as the commonwealth transitions toward the endemic stage of COVID-19.  

“Pennsylvania continues to address the evolving challenges created by the global COVID-19 pandemic,” Klinepeter said during a news conference. “Over the past year, tens of millions of vaccinations and booster doses were administered to save lives and mitigate the spread of disease. COVID-19 isn’t going away. But Pennsylvania is well-positioned with the tools, knowledge, and resources to prioritize prevention in everyday life and manage outbreaks when they occur.” 

Thus far, Pennsylvania vaccine providers have administered 22,030,656 COVID-19 vaccines according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 76 percent of people ages 18 and older are fully vaccinated; and 95 percent of residents ages 18 and older received at least one vaccination.    

“Vaccinations remain our best defense against this virus, and it is great to see thousands of residents stepping forward each day to get vaccinated,” Klinepeter said. “That’s why we are prepared to move beyond the current phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to continued vaccinations, we know that the key to our transition​ will be a strong public health infrastructure that can support our needs as we move to the next phase of our response and recovery.”    

During the recent omicron surge Pennsylvania deployed both state and federal support systems to hospitals and long-term care facilities while simultaneously expanding the testing network along with vaccine and booster outreach.     

A bipartisan effort to identified immediate investments to support the health care workforce in Pennsylvania which led to the quick appropriation of $250 million in federal funding, including:   

  • $100 million to all acute care, critical access, and children’s hospitals licensed by the Department of Health on a per-bed basis.    
  • $110 million to high-Medical Assistance hospitals, designated Critical Access Hospitals, and inpatient residential behavioral health facilities.    
  • $15 million to quadruple funds available for the nurse loan forgiveness program at Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.    
  • $25 million to support Pennsylvania’s emergency management services (EMS) companies.    

“Pennsylvania is prepared for a transition toward endemic,” Klinepeter said. “We have all learned valuable lessons from this pandemic. That’s why Pennsylvania built a strategic stockpile of PPE, supported a robust testing infrastructure that includes testing for schools and long-term care facilities, made critical investments in our hospitals and health care workforce, and executed a successful vaccination rollout.”   

According to PDH, vaccines and therapeutic treatments are widely available across the state. Businesses, schools, and residents now have the tools and knowledge they need to move beyond the current phase of COVID-19.

 “Moving forward does not mean ignoring COVID-19,” Klinepeter said. “We have the knowledge and tools needed to make smart decisions guided by public health research to keep ourselves and our communities safer. Our strategy includes a continued focus on prevention while being nimble enough to quickly respond to any changes in the COVID-19 landscape.” 

In the past year, Pennsylvania’s strategic response to COVID-19 has included initiatives such as:   

  • Continuing to raise vaccination rates and encourage boosters through awareness campaigns, including targeting hard-to-reach communities.   
  • Organizing support for health care workers, hospitals and long-term care facilities as needed.    
  • Maintaining a stockpile of PPE.   
  • Supporting no-cost COVID-19 testing sites in communities.    
  • Helping K-12 school districts and school-age families maintain in-person learning by continuing to provide weekly COVID-19 testing services at no cost to participating schools.   
  • Educating counties, municipalities, and health systems about the federal reimbursement available to them for eligible COVID-related expenses.   
  • Providing funding to grassroots organizations for vaccine outreach efforts, to enable them to serve as trusted messengers in vaccine-hesitant communities to provide information that the COVID-19 vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect themselves and their loved ones from the virus.  
  • Coordinating with federal and private partners to enable timely, broad access to therapeutics that reduce the risk of severe disease.   

“Moving forward, the Department of Health will continue to prioritize the safety of all residents and public health initiatives that increase opportunities for all Pennsylvanians,” Klinepeter said. 

PDE Provides Notice to LEAs of PA Requirements that Exceed IDEA Regs (February 24, 2022)

On February 24, 2022, PA Bureau of Special Education Director Carole L. Clancy disseminated a PennLink with a subject line of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: State Regulations that Exceed Federal Requirements. The message states that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as amended, requires the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to identify in writing to local educational agencies (LEAs) regulations, rules, and policies that are state-imposed requirements and not required by IDEA and its regulations (20 USC §1407 (a) (2)). This notice fulfills the requirement to distribute an updated list of state-imposed requirements that exceed IDEA and its regulations, which are Chapter 14 (22 Pa. Code Chapter 14) and Chapter 711 (22 Pa. Code Chapter 711). To receive more information from PDE, contact Jeanette Alexander at [email protected] or 717-783-6882.

PA Reaches Vaccine Milestone (February 23, 2022)

On February 23, 2022, it was announced that Pennsylvania reached a new COVID-19 vaccine milestone with 95 percent of Pennsylvanians ages 18 and older receiving at least one vaccination. In fact, as of February 23rd, Pennsylvania vaccine providers have administered 28,685,125 COVID-19 vaccines.

In the week prior to the announcement, the PA Department of Health (PDH) released updated post-vaccination data which continues to show that COVID-19 vaccinations are effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. To view the press release, click here.

Sec. Ortega Highlights the Importance of CTE (February 17, 2022)

Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Dr. Noe Ortega today visited Dauphin County Technical School to highlight the importance of career and technical education and celebrate CTE Month with administrators, faculty, and students.

“Through career and technical centers, students can work together with industry professionals in their schools and communities, network and build connections across the commonwealth, fulfill local workforce needs, and promote the valuable role career and technical education plays in our educational system. These innovative programs are built on foundations of academic rigor and high expectations for student learning and success,” Ortega said. “The achievements and successes of these students demonstrate how these schools advance the narrative that there are multiple pathways to postsecondary success for Pennsylvania’s students.”

In addition, to help in creating multiple pathways to success for students, Governor Wolf has proposed a $6 million increase for career and technical education in his final budget.

Over the past seven years, PA 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.

CTE Month is a public awareness campaign organized by the Association for Career and Technical Education that takes place each February to celebrate the value of CTE and the achievements and accomplishments of CTE programs across the country.

To view the press release, click here.

Sec. Ortega Announces Regs Aimed at Better Serving Students (February 11, 2022)

On February 10, 2022, Secretary of Education Dr. Noe Ortega announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) submitted its final-form charter school regulations to the General Assembly and the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) for immediate review. The regulations will assist charter schools by clarifying their responsibilities as taxpayer-funded public schools under the Charter School Law.

“These regulations will promote transparency, equity, quality, and accountability in the implementation of the Charter School Law,” said Secretary Ortega. “Charter schools are supported by commonwealth taxpayers, and these schools will receive nearly $3 billion in publicly paid tuition during the 2021-2022 school year. PDE has drafted these regulations to ensure that parents and taxpayers are fully aware of how these resources are being used.”

The regulations clarify several elements of the state Charter School Law (CSL) that negatively impact school choice for Pennsylvania students and families.

The regulations:

  • Provide clear application requirements for entities seeking to open a charter school, regional charter school, and cyber charter school;
  • Ensure that all Pennsylvania students are able to access charter schools;
  • Clarify the ethics requirements for charter and cyber charter school trustees;
  • Require school districts and charter schools to follow the same fiscal management and auditing standards;
  • Streamline the process for charter schools to request tuition payments from school districts and the state; and
  • Provide a consistent, common-sense method for charter schools to meet the employee health care requirements in state law.

PDE began developing the regulations in August 2019. Nearly 2,000 comments from charter schools, school districts, professional organizations, lawmakers, and the public were considered as part of the process.

Charter schools are public schools funded by taxpayers through school district and state funds. A school district must grant the school a charter before students from the school district may enroll in the charter school. The Pennsylvania Department of Education authorizes cyber charter schools, since they serve the entire state.

There are 179 charter schools and cyber charter schools operating in Pennsylvania this school year. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have students enrolled in some form of charter school.

Click here for access to the press release.