Category: News

142 Students Complete Accelerated Special Educator Certification Program to Become Special Educators in PA (January 26, 2025)

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced that the first-ever cohort of 142 students at 14 institutions of higher education have completed the Accelerated Special Educator Certification program to become special educators in the Commonwealth.

Announced in March 2023, the Accelerated Special Educator Certification Program delivered $1.5 million in grant funding o bolster teacher pipeline. The first-ever cohort of special education teachers certified through this program fill critical educator workforce gaps.

Grants were made available to colleges and universities with approved PK-12 special education certification programs to partner with at least one school district, approved private school, career and technical center, charter school, cyber charter school, or intermediate unit to provide bachelor’s degrees holders with summer field experiences, mentoring by experienced special educators during the school year, and deliver a postbaccalaureate program for PK-12 special education teacher certification within 18 months. Programs offered most of the coursework during summer 2023 and summer 2024; provided a combination of in-person and virtual options for flexibility and support to the accelerated program participants working full-time; and ensured a minimum of 12 weeks of student teaching.

“Like many other states across the nation, Pennsylvania has been facing an educator workforce shortage—with a particularly critical need to fill thousands of special educator vacancies,” said Interim Acting Secretary Angela Fitterer. “Special educators play an essential role in the lives of their students and families, and this cohort of new teachers will make a lasting impact in classrooms across the Commonwealth for years to come.” As of the 2023-2024 school year, Pennsylvania’s teacher workforce stands at 123,190, with the largest shortages in Grades 4-8, Special Education PK-12, Mathematics 7-12, Life & Physical Sciences 7-12, and Career and Technical Education 7-12. The United States Department of Education have designated these areas as critical shortages, and currently, Pennsylvania needs 1,670 special educators.

USDE Rescinds Book Ban Guidance (January 25, 2025)

In a January 24, 2025 statement, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) rescinded all guidance that said school districts could violate civil rights law by implementing book bans. The statement said that removing “age-inappropriate” books from schools is a decision that should be made by parents and communities, and OCR “has no role in these matters.” As a result, OCR promptly dismissed 11 complaints related to book bans.

In addition, OCR eliminated the position of book ban coordinator, whose job was to develop training for schools on how book bans targeting specific communities and driving “hostile school environments” might run counter to federal civil rights laws.

Source: K-12 Dive

House Returns to Session on Jan. 27th (January 24, 2025)

The PA House of Representatives is scheduled for its first voting session day of the 2025-26 Legislative Session on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. The current make-up of the chamber is 101 Republicans and 101 Democrats, due to the tragic passing of Rep. Matt Gergely of Allegheny County.

The start of a new session means that any legislation that did not make it to the governor’s desk to be signed into law must be reintroduced. In addition, most of the standing committees of the House will be meeting during the week of the 27th  week to organize.

Impact of New Executive Orders Remains to be Seen (January 24, 2025)

On the day of his inauguration, President Donald Trump signed several executive orders to eliminate efforts to provide protections for LGBTQ+ students and increase educational access for Hispanic, Native American, and Black students. In one executive order, Trump directed the U.S. government to only recognize two sexes — male and female — based on reproductive cells and directs federal agencies to use its definition of sex to enforce laws, including Title IX. The order also defines “female” as someone who produces “the large reproductive cell” and “male” as someone who produces “the small reproductive cell” and says that “sex” is “not a synonym for and does not include the concept of ‘gender identity.” According to the order, federal funds, should not promote the notion that individuals can assess their own gender or that a spectrum of genders exist, and described such claims as false and labeling them “gender ideology.” At this point, it is unclear how this assessment will immediately impact schools or their LGBTQ+ students.

Also that day, the President also rescinded several Biden-era executive orders that sought to increase educational access to underrepresented students. Among their many goals, they aimed to increase federal funding access to minority-serving institutions, including historically Black colleges and universities and Hispanic-serving institutions. He also struck down  a 2024 executive order that established a White House initiative to increase educational access through Hispanic-serving institutions. 

On the following day, the Trump administration announced a directive ending the practice of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agents avoiding “sensitive” areas — including elementary and secondary schools, colleges, hospitals and churches — for enforcement actions.

It is expected that legal challenges will mount against these and other actions taken by the President.

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Ed. Associations Provide Guidance Re. Immigration Raids on Schools (January 23, 2025)

Education associations and immigration advocacy groups have been evaluating what a January 21st U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) directive that lifted the practice of avoiding immigration enforcement at locations where students gather would actually mean to schools. In a message posted to its website on Jan. 21, The School Superintendents Association (AASA) said it was unclear if the directive means that ICE enforcement activities would take place on school property. AASA also posted a reminder that the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plyler v. Doe said states cannot constitutionally deny students a free public education based on their immigration status.

AASA  said it anticipates that ICE agents may request data from schools and advises school leaders to ensure staff are trained on the protections for students’ data under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). AASA has also offered recommendations in an online posting for how to prepare for potential ICE enforcement on school campuses, what to consider if a student’s parents have been detained, and other potential scenarios.

In addition, in a fact sheet on the DHS policy change, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) said all people in the U.S. have certain rights regardless of immigration status, including Fourth Amendment protections from unreasonable searches and seizures and the Fifth Amendment right to remain silent when confronted by law enforcement.
Likewise, the National Newcomer Network (NNN), a project of The Century Foundation, outlined three main recommendations for districts and schools:
-Stay updated on federal policy. A district’s legal team should analyze changes to policy and communicate those interpretations to district and school leaders.
-The district should develop or re-release guidance on how school staff should interact with immigration enforcement authorities. Guidance, training materials and best practices should be shared with front office staff, bus drivers and other employees. 
-School leaders should reaffirm their commitment to children and families, including by sharing resources about their rights to education and any available community-based supports. 

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.