The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) has released information on pertaining to the passage of the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act.

CROWN Act
The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) prohibits discrimination in Pennsylvania based on race, color, familial status, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, disability, the use, handling, or training of support or guide animals for disability, or retaliation. The PHRA applies to discrimination in employment, housing, commercial property, education, and public accommodations.

On November 25th, 2025, Governor Shapiro signed Act 54 of 2025, known as the CROWN Act, into law. The act amended the PHRA to clarify that discrimination based on race includes traits associated with the individual’s race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles. Protective hairstyles include, but are not limited to, locs, braids, twists, coils, Bantu knots, afros, and extensions. The act also clarified that discrimination based on religious creed includes head coverings and hairstyles historically associated with religious creeds. The law includes exceptions for rules or policies adopted for the health or safety of an employee, adopted for nondiscriminatory reasons, tailored specifically to the position, or applied equally to individuals in applicable positions.

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission specifies that examples of discrimination under the CROWN Act include, but are not limited to:
-Firing a person because of their hairstyle.
-Creating school policies restricting how students can wear or treat their hair.
-Creating company policies requiring employees to alter their hair outside of safety codes.
-Retaliation for filing a complaint or opposing unlawful behavior.

For additional information on the CROWN Act, please see PHRC CROWN Protections or  PHRC Protecciones CROWN.

CSPG-17 has been updated to reflect availability of records online and through Right to Know; terminology, including the name of the Bureau; and legal references. Currently, certification records are available via the TIMS system. Those who were certified prior to the TIMS system’s creation can contact the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality in writing to request copies of records. Also discussed in the CSPG is the following:

• Certificate records are a matter of public record on the Search Educator Certification website.
• The Department also releases certification records used to document the eligibility of a holder for a specific certificate if requested by a third party subject to any applicable exceptions of the Right to Know (RTK) law. If the Department should receive a subpoena duces tecum requesting certification records by a third party, the bureau will attempt to notify the certificate holder of the receipt of such subpoena as required pursuant to 22 Pa. Code § 49.13(b)(12).

The following message is from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Bureau of Special Education (BSE) and PaTTAN.

Dear Special Education Educator Prep Programs Faculty,  
We are excited to announce cohort 3 of the Accelerated Program for PK-12 Special Education Teacher Certification Grant. 

Purpose:
BSE, is requesting applications from Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) who partner with one or more Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to provide individuals who currently hold bachelor’s degrees an accelerated program with the required college/university coursework, summer field experiences, mentoring, coaching, and student teaching to obtain their PK-12 special education teaching certification in accordance with PA Public School Code Section 12-1207.1, Postbaccalaureate certification within an 18-month period.

Eligibility:
Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) in collaboration with one or more Local Education Agencies.

Funding:

• Up to $100,000. Initial grant awards will be determined based on projected student enrollment submitted in the application. Final budget allocations may be adjusted following verification of spring 2026 rosters. 
• All grant funds must be expended by December 31, 2027.  
• The final reimbursement form is due no later than January 31, 2028. 

Timeline:

• Application Open: December 11, 2025 
• Deadline: 11:59 PM on Sunday, February 1, 2026
• Awards Announced: February 2026 

Application materials, including a recorded overview of the grant requirements, request for application (RFA), and a PDF of the application, are available on the APR Repository – 2026-2027 PK 12 Accelerated Special Education Teacher Certification Grant.

Questions? Contact Meredith Penner, at mpenner@pattankop.net.

The PA Department of Education (PDE) has announced that effective January 11, 2026, as per Section 1205.2, the following shall apply:

There is no charge for a professional educator to apply to PDE for voluntary inactive certification.

An educator with a voluntary inactive certificate can reactivate their certification if they provide PDE evidence that they received an offer of employment from a school that has committed to provide and ensure that the educator completes 30 hours of in-service continuing professional development within two years.

Any educator with an inactive certification can be removed from inactive status if they apply to PDE and show that they completed at least 30 hours of continuing professional education within the past 18 months. Previously, the requirement was 12 months.

Those that have December 2025 graduates who applied for certification on or after 11/12/2025 in TIMS should have them contact the certification services email account at ra-edcertquestions@pa.gov for help with these applications. Please be sure to clarify to December graduates who applied and paid for certification on or after 11/12/2025 that their previous application can be withdrawn and refunded for the amount paid and that they can reapply to pay the new reduced certification fee.