On Wednesday, January 11, 2023, the PA State Board of Education met at PDE in Harrisburg and via Zoom. The Board heard reports from the Academic Standards (Chapter 4) Committee and the Teacher and School Leader Committee. The Chapter 4 committee directed PDE to assign external advisors to both the Career Ed. and Work  Committee and the Family and Consumer Science and Economics Committee. The Teacher and Leader Committee’s PA Education Workforce Committee has focused on Act 55 issues with regard to the retention and attraction of instructors to the field of education. Of particular note is work in developing an extensive plan of action to address the decline educators in the commonwealth. Specifically mentioned was the Grow Your Own initiative and efforts towards encouraging paraprofessionals and others in the education setting to pursue teacher certification.

Excitement was also expressed with regard to the newly created CTE Pathway for opportunities in the field of education, which will be rolled out in 2023.

Acting secretary Eric Hagarty reported that Dr. Khalid Mumin has been appointed by incoming Governor Josh Shapiro to be the state’s new Secretary of Education.

Action items included approving the Board’s Annual Report to the Governor and General Assembly and a Resolution Honoring Acting Secretary Hagarty, who will be stepping down on January 17th. Both items were unanimously approved.