Senate

On March 14, the Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 209 (Sen. M. White, R-21) that would require public schools to annually disclose interscholastic athletic opportunities provided to secondary school students.  The disclosure would be on a form provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).  Under SB 209, PDE would be required to submit an annual compliance report to the General Assembly.  The bill now awaits further action in the House.

 On March 6, the Senate Education Committee unanimously reported the following bills:

• Senate Bill 1115 (Sen. Browne, R-16) would establish a Legislative Commission on Special Education  Funding to develop a formula for the distribution of any increases in special education funding above the 2010-2011 funding level.  The bill sets forth certain elements that must be contained in any formula developed by the Commission, including three categories based on the costs of educating students with various disabilities.  The Commission, a twelve member panel, must develop the formula within 120 days of the bill's effective date and issue a report of its findings to the Governor and legislature.  In addition, the Commission is charged with receiving public input and gathering information on charter and cyber charter school funding reimbursement related to special education students and to draft proposed regulations and legislation based on its findings. 
  
  SB 1115 would establish new accountability requirements for school districts serving special education students including new requirements for special education plans filed with the Department of Education (PDE).  The bill requires PDE to set aside 1 percent of state special education funding and distribute this set-aside amount on a pro rata basis based upon the number of students in each district having the most expensive category of disability.  SB 1115 would also establish a competitive grant program for school districts or charter schools that meet certain criteria with respect to providing instruction to special education students in a regular classroom, meeting state reading and math standards for special education students and implementing programs or services that serve as a model of excellence for meeting high standards for inclusion and student achievement through quality special education.
      
• Senate Bill 1296 (Sen. Piccola, R-15) would amend the Public School Code by removing the exception for school districts of the first class that allows superintendent and assistant superintendent contracts to be for a period of three to five years and replaces it with a provision that all initial contracts and renewed contracts must be for a period of three years.  SB 1296 would subject superintendent contracts to the Right-to-Know Law.  The bill also outlines provisions that contracts for superintendents and assistant superintendentsmust contain and prohibits severance compensation for superintendents and assistant superintendents.
   
• Senate Bill 1406 (Sen. Folmer, R-48) would amend Title 24 (Education) by adding a new section to allow private nonprofit colleges and universities that are accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and have operated continuously in the Commonwealth for the immediately preceding ten years to add programs, majors and degrees without prior review of the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
   
  An informational briefing was held, but no vote taken, on House Bill 1610 (Rep.Vereb, R-150) which would require the Departments of Health and Education to post on their websites guidelines and materials to inform and educate student athletes, coaches and others about the warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest.  Students participating in interscholastic athletics and their parents/guardians must sign a form acknowledging that they have received and reviewed these guidelines.  School districts may hold an informational meeting on the subject prior to each athletic season.  An athlete who exhibits signs or symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest must be removed from play.  The athlete may not return to play until he or she is cleared by a licensed physician or certified registered nurse practitioner. 

House of Representatives

A supplemental Notebook will report on the recent hearing held by the House Appropriations Committee for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

On March 13, the Keystone Research Center released a study that examines the cost of transportation services for Pennsylvania's school districts, focusing especially on the impact on costs of private contracts for transportation services.  According to the study, Pennsylvania school districts that contract with private bus operators end up spending more taxpayer dollars on transportation than those that manage their own bus fleets.  On average, 72 percent of transportation services were contracted out by Pennsylvania school districts in 2008, up from 62 percent in 1986.  In analyzing school district transportation costs, the Keystone study finds that:

EPLC Education Notebook is published by The Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC).  Permission to reprint or electronically redistribute the Notebook in whole or in part is granted provided attribution to EPLC is provided.  The Education Policy and Leadership Center is an independent, non-partisan and not-for-profit organization.  The Mission of the Education Policy and Leadership Center is to encourage and support the development and implementation of effective state-level education policies to improve student learning in grades P-12, increase the effective operation of schools, and enhance educational opportunities for citizens of all ages.