On September 11, 2025, the PA Sate Board of Education (Board) held its 387th meeting during a series of meetings at the PDE building in Harrisburg and via Zoom. Board Chair Karen Farmer White opened the meeting at 1PM.

Committee reports were provided by the Hon. Carol Aichele on behalf of the Special Committee on Private School Accreditation and Sandra Dungee Glenn on behalf of the Teacher and School Leader Effectiveness Committee. Ms. Aichele reported that the committee is recommending the approval of two accreditation organizations for the private academic schools — the PA Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Ms. Dungee Glenn reported that her committee is weighing possible changes to written certification assessments to ensure alignment with expected competencies.

Acting Secretary of Ed. Dr. Carrie Rowe reported on a number if issues. She praised the collaboration between Higher Ed. and Elementary and Secondary Ed.; Elementary and Secondary Ed. and Early Childhood Ed.; and the involvement of libraries in these collaborative efforts.

Dr. Rowe also reported that state budget talks continue amid some challenging issues that are making the progress slow moving. However, negotiations are ongoing and productive. She also said that due to the lack of funding as a result of the delayed budget, there are school districts with large payments looming that they not be able to make and making payroll is a key concern. PDE is looking at ways to help those school districts as best it can, but the ability to help is limited and the department really has no funds to help defray costs. At this point, most school districts are OK for now. Dr. Rowe also cautioned that, once a budget is approved, it will take at least 15 days for funds to begin to flow to schools. Lastly, Dr. Rowe reported that the use of NAEP, also known as the nation’s report card, as an indicator of educational progress can be problematic since that assessment is not necessarily congruous with current state assessments.

Deputy Ed. Secretary Amy Lena said that at the Council of Basic Ed. meeting she reported that two reports from PDE are now available and those reports look at Special Ed. and Gifted Ed. with regard to complaints, due process hearings, and compliance issues. She also reminded everyone that the Office of Safe Schools has been renamed as the Office for School Climate and Well-Being. She also remarked that the PDE 427, a summative assessment tool for education professionals going from Instructional I to Instructional II certification and Educational I and Educational II certification, has been revised and is now in use as of August 31. It is split into two separate forms, one specifically for Classroom Teachers and another for Non-Teaching Professionals — Form A for classroom professionals and Form B for non-classroom educational specialists.

The meeting closed with the unanimous approval of two action items — the renewal applications from PAIS and MSCHE.