Category: News

Flexible Instructional Day (FID) Program Application Is Now Available (April 11, 2026)

The Flexible Instructional Day (FID) program is available to public school entities to be used as an alternative approach to delivering instruction if a circumstance arises that prevents instruction in the customary manner.  Entities must have an accepted application to use FIDs.

The 2026-27 SY FID application can be found on the Future Ready Comprehensive Planning Portal (FRCPP).  The window opens on or prior to April 1 and closes on June 1.  A complete application includes either Board minutes or a Board President Affirmation Statement that attests to the fact that the Board reviewed and approved the application for submission so applicants are advised to add the approval of the application to an upcoming Spring School Board meeting agenda.

For a list of accepted FID programs along with the effective and termination dates, please visit our website. If you have an accepted FID application and it terminates on 6/30/26, then your entity would need to reapply during the window or you will lose the program for the 2026-27 SY.  You would be able to reapply in the future.

For questions about the FID program, please email RA-FID@pa.gov.

Trump Admin. FY 2027 Budget Proposal would Cut $8.5B from Targeted K-12 Programs (April 6, 2026)

On April 3, 2026, the White House released its fiscal year 2027 (FY 2027) budget proposal, which includes $8.5 billion in eliminations and consolidations for selected K-12 programs. It would also legislate the transfer of some responsibilities out of the U.S. Department of Education (USDE).

“The Budget puts the Department of Education (USDE), which has failed the Nation’s children, teachers, and families, on a path to elimination,” the budget proposal said.

As reported by K-12 Dive, the proposed budget requests $76.5 billion for the USDE for FY 2027, compared to an FY 2026 funding level of $79 billion. It would maintain Title I at $18.4 billion and increase special education funding by $539 million, but — similar to the president’s FY 2026 request — it calls for the elimination of some existing grants while consolidating others into single funding streams for states to distribute at their own discretion. It would also eliminate funding for English Language Acquisition.

For example, it proposes consolidating 17 K-12 grant funding streams worth $6.5 billion into a single grant, which the administration said would allow states to spend “based on their needs without Federal prescription.” 

It would cut 12 other programs, totaling $2.1 billion, including: 
-All $70 million for Teacher Quality Partnership grants, often used to diversify the teacher workforce.
-All $7 million for Equity Assistance Centers, established as part of desegregation efforts.
-All $890 million for English Language Acquisition, which helped districts support English language learners and which the budget said would “encourage bilingualism.” 
-All $50 million for the Comprehensive Centers program, which is authorized under ESEA and provides assistance to states and districts on improving instruction and closing achievement gaps.
-A $428 million cut to Migrant Education and Special Programs for Migrant Students, which supports immigrant students.

Many of the proposed cuts and consolidations are similar to those contained in the president’s budget request for FY 2026, much of which Congress ultimately scrapped. 

The proposal would also solidify into legislation the USDE’s efforts to shift career and technical education (CTE) programs and responsibilities to the U.S. Department of Labor. (DOL). While the USDE has already entered an interagency agreement that would do so, the budget request would officially move those programs under the DOL.

For more details from K-12 Dive, click here.

PDE Answers the Question: What is Structured Literacy? (April 1, 2026)

Structured literacy is a research‑based approach to teaching reading that aligns with the science of reading. It emphasizes clear, intentional instruction in the essential components of literacy. Structured literacy instruction is:
-Explicit – Skills are directly taught with clear explanations, modeling, guided practice, and immediate feedback.
–Systematic – Concepts are introduced in a logical sequence, moving from simple to more complex.
-Cumulative – New learning builds on previously taught skills, with regular review to ensure mastery and retention.
–Diagnostic and responsive – Instruction is informed by ongoing assessment. When needed, additional diagnostic tools are used to identify specific skill gaps, and instruction is adjusted accordingly.

Structured literacy ensures that every student has access to the foundational skills and tools needed to make meaning from print and confidently engage in all learning opportunities that literacy unlocks.

PDE’s Structured Literacy landing page provides a comprehensive collection of resources related to Pennsylvania’s literacy legislation, including Act 55 of 2022, Act 135 of 2024, and Act 47 of 2025, such as:

  • Evidence-Based Reading Professional Development List
  • Evidence-Based Reading Curriculum Materials List
  • Evidence-Based Reading Intervention and Supplementary Materials List
  • Implementation Guidance
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  • Reading Leadership Council resources
  • Structured Literacy eBook
  • Structured Literacy Program Framework Guidelines
  • Pennsylvania State Literacy Plan Toolkit

These resources—and many others—support LEAs, educators, and families in understanding and implementing structured literacy across Pennsylvania.

Information & Submissions for RISE Awards Open (April 1, 2026)

In March 2019, the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award was created to recognize and promote the commitment and excellence exhibited by full- or part-time classified school employees who provide service to students in Pre-K through high school. 

To learn more about who can be nominated and how to nominate someone, please visit the RISE Award webpage. The 2026 Nomination period opened on February 1.

Nominations can be submitted until August 30, 2026.

Shapiro Administration Invests Over $1.6 Million to Help More Pennsylvanians Afford Higher Education, Earn College Degrees (March 31, 2026)

The Shapiro Administration today announced more than $1.6 million in Parent Pathways grant funding to help Pennsylvania parents achieve their goal of attending college and earning a credential, delivering on a critical component of Governor Shapiro’s plan to make higher education more accessible and affordable for all Pennsylvanians. Parent Pathways grants, awarded through the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), support parenting students with tuition assistance, emergency funding, and wrap-around services, and more.

Since 2024, the Parent Pathways grant program has invested more than $3.2 million in grant funding to 23 colleges and universities. This year’s awards bring the total investment to over $4.8 million in just three years, with 34 total institutions awarded across the Commonwealth.

The Parent Pathways Grant Program offers institutions the opportunity to apply for competitive funding:

  • To expand parent programming, resources, and supports or to implement parent programming, resources and supports. Funding can be used, but is not limited to, wrap-around services for students, expansion of child care facilities, staffing salary support for parent navigators, transportation supports, and other expansion of work already being accomplished on campus.
  • For scholarships covering tuition, fees, housing, meals, books, child care, etc.
  • For the use of stipends/emergency funding up to a maximum amount as determined by the institution.

The following institutions received Parent Pathways grants:

AlleghenyCounty
-Community College of Allegheny College, $150,000
-Point Park University, $150,000

BerksCounty
-Reading Area Community College, $150,000

BucksCounty
-Bucks County Community College, $150,000

DelawareCounty
-Eastern University, $150,000
-Pennsylvania Institute of Technology, $144,600

LycomingCounty
-Pennsylvania College of Technology, $150,000

NorthamptonCounty
-Northampton Community College, $150,000

PhiladelphiaCounty
-Chestnut Hill College, $150,000
-Saint Joseph’s University, $150,000

WestmorelandCounty
-Seton Hill University, $150,000

Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has improved education for all Pennsylvanians of all ages and backgrounds, invested in strategic investments that uplift all Pennsylvanians, and broken down barriers to opportunity. Under the Governor’s leadership, Pennsylvania has increased funding for public education by almost $3 billion in just three years. This includes nearly $2 billion more for K-12 public schools, $190 million more for Special Education, $65 million more for Career and Technical Education, and $52 million more for higher education.

The Shapiro Administration has also made the first significant reforms to Pennsylvania’s higher education system in nearly three decades, ultimately creating the State Board of Higher Education.

Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has made significant strides to improve higher education in Pennsylvania, giving all learners the opportunities they need to chart their own course to success, including:

  • $54 million in his 2026-27 budget proposal to improve facilities and equipment at Pennsylvania’s community colleges.
  • More than $111 million awarded over the past three years to fund 44 projects on community college campuses across the Commonwealth.
  • Cutting the red tape and implementing a one-stop-shop for students preparing to transfer between Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities.
  • Recognizing postsecondary institutions across the Commonwealth for their commitment to promoting mental health resources to learners through PA CARES.