Trial Engrossment of Amendment A00117 to House Bill 0819 P.N. 0926, Regular Session 2025-2026

A00117

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

819

Session of

2025

INTRODUCED BY MALAGARI, BELLMON, HILL-EVANS, GIRAL, MADDEN,

FREEMAN, SANCHEZ, GUENST AND CERRATO, MARCH 13, 2025

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 13, 2025

AN ACT

Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An

act relating to the public school system, including certain

provisions applicable as well to private and parochial

schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the

laws relating thereto," in certification of teachers, further

providing for continuing professional development; providing

for access to rigorous courses of study for all students;

establishing the Access to Rigorous Courses of Study for All

Students Grant Program; and imposing duties on the Department

of Education.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 1205.1(c.1)(3) of the act of March 10,

1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,

is amended to read:

Section 1205.1. Continuing Professional Development.--* * *

(c.1) The continuing professional education plan shall

specify the professional education needs that will be met by

completion of each continuing professional education option and

how it relates to areas of assignment and certification or

potential administrative certification. The options may include,

but shall not be limited to:

* * *

(3) Other programs, activities or learning experiences taken

for credit or hourly, to include:

(i) curriculum development and other program design and

delivery activities at the school entity or grade level as

determined by the school entity and approved by the board of

directors;

(ii) participation in professional conferences and

workshops;

(iii) education in the workplace, where the work relates to

the professional educator's area of assignment and is approved

by the board of directors;

(iv) review, redesign and restructuring of school programs,

organizations and functions as determined by the school entity

and approved by the board of directors;

(v) in-service programs that comply with guidelines

established by the department;

(vi) early childhood and child development activities for

professional educators whose area of assignment includes

kindergarten through third grade;

(vii) special education activities for professional

educators whose area of assignment includes students with

special needs;

(viii) successful completion of department training for

service as a Distinguished Educator if the professional educator

participates in and completes at least one assignment in the

Distinguished Educators Program;

(ix) other continuing professional education courses,

programs, activities or learning experiences sponsored by the

department; [or]

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(x) visits by educators to a manufacturing workplace for

orientation and demonstrations to give the professional educator

a greater understanding of job opportunities in manufacturing

for students[.]; or

(xi) providing opportunities for educators to serve as

rigorous course of study coaches to support teachers in

delivering high-quality rigorous courses of study. For the

purposes of this subparagraph, the term "rigorous course of

study" shall have the same meaning as in section 1702-E.

* * *

Section 2. The act is amended by adding an article to read:

ARTICLE XVII-E

ACCESS TO RIGOROUS COURSES OF STUDY FOR ALL STUDENTS

Section 1701-E. Scope of article.

This article relates to access to rigorous courses of study

for all students.

Section 1702-E. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this article

shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Core academic areas." Mathematics, English language arts,

science, social studies and computer science.

"Department." The Department of Education of the

Commonwealth.

"Educator." A "professional employe," "temporary

professional employe" or "substitute" as those terms are defined

in section 1101.

"Educator training entity." An institution of higher

education, intermediate unit or other organization approved by

the department to train educators to teach rigorous courses of

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study.

"Eligible educator." An educator who is certified in the

subject area of the rigorous course of study that the educator

will be teaching.

"Eligible school entity." A school entity that does not meet

the minimum benchmarks for rigorous course of study offerings

established by the department under section 1703-E(c)(2)(i) or

is unable to offer a rigorous course of study due to the

retirement, departure or other loss of an educator who teaches a

rigorous course of study.

"Exam fee." The amount required to take an exam associated

with a rigorous course of study.

"Institution of higher education." The term includes any of

the following:

(1) A community college operating under Article XIX-A.

(2) A university within the State System of Higher

Education under Article XX-A.

(3) A State-related institution as defined in section

1502-A.

(4) Any accredited nonprofit public, private or

independent college or university.

"Program." The Access to Rigorous Courses of Study for All

Students Grant Program established under section 1704-E.

"Rigorous course of study." An academically rigorous

college-level course, including Advanced Placement,

International Baccalaureate, Cambridge International, dual

credit or a concentrated career and technical education program,

delivered to secondary students by an eligible educator that may

include an end-of-course exam that qualifies students to earn

college credit for prior learning.

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"School entity." A school district, area career and

technical school, cyber charter school, charter school, regional

charter school or intermediate unit operating in this

Commonwealth.

"Secondary student." A student in grades seven through

twelve who is enrolled in a school entity.

"Virtual learning instruction." The provision of academic

courses and instruction to students through the Internet or the

use of video or audio technology by an educator.

Section 1703-E. Equitable access to rigorous courses of study.

(a) Access.-- Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each

school entity receiving a grant under section 1704-E(b) shall

provide secondary students with expanded opportunities to enroll

in rigorous courses of study as well as exam fee assistance, as

appropriate.

(b) Supplement.--If possible the rigorous courses of study

offered by an institution of higher education, through an

agreement shall supplement, not supplant courses offered by the

school entity or the secondary school students. An agreement

under this subsection shall encompass the same parameters under

section 1525(a).

(1) Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, and each

year thereafter, each school entity shall report the

following to the department, in a manner determined by the

department:

(i) All rigorous courses of study disaggregated by

type that are available to the school entity's secondary

students for the current school year.

(ii) Students participating in rigorous courses of

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study, disaggregated by type, by student group.

(iii) Students who complete rigorous courses of

study, disaggregated by type, by student group.

(iv) Students who took an end-of-course exam in a

rigorous course of study, by student group, type of exam

and score received.

(v) The number of college-level credits earned by

each student enrolled in a dual-credit course, by student

group.

(2) No later than December 1, 2026, and every five years

thereafter, the department shall:

(i) Establish benchmarks to improve secondary

student access to and enrollment in rigorous courses of

study.

(ii) Identify school entities that require technical

assistance to improve secondary student access to and

enrollment in rigorous courses of study.

(iii) Prepare a report containing the information

provided under paragraph (1), as well as the benchmarks

established and school entities identified under

subparagraphs (i) and (ii), and post the report on the

department's publicly accessible Internet website.

Beginning with the report required to be posted on

December 1, 2029, the report shall include an explanation

of whether school entities in this Commonwealth are

progressing or regressing in improving secondary student

access to and enrollment in rigorous courses of study.

Section 1704-E. Access to Rigorous Courses of Study for All

Students Grant Program.

(a) Purpose.--Subject to funding being appropriated for this

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purpose, the Access to Rigorous Courses of Study for All

Students Grant Program is established in the department to help

ensure that all school entities have properly trained educators

to meet the rigorous courses of study benchmarks established

under section 1703-E(c)(2)(i) and to provide rigorous courses of

study exam fee assistance to students.

(b) Educator training grants to school entities.--

(1) A school entity that does not meet a minimum

rigorous course benchmark established by the department under

section 1703-E(c)(2)(i) shall be eligible for annual grants

for a maximum of five consecutive years to train educators to

teach rigorous courses of study to enable the school entity

to meet the benchmark and further expand access to rigorous

courses of study beyond the benchmark over the five-year

grant period. A school entity that offers less than eight

rigorous courses of study shall be deemed an eligible school

entity that may apply for an educator training grant under

the program. In addition to any other academic areas, a

school entity that receives an educator training grant under

the program shall offer rigorous courses of study in core

academic areas.

(2) The department may limit the number of educators per

school building within an eligible school entity for whom the

eligible school entity may receive an educator training

grant.

(3) Multiple eligible school entities may apply jointly

for an educator training grant under the program if the

educators to be trained will provide instruction in more than

one eligible school entity through classroom instruction or

virtual learning instruction.

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(4) The department shall develop an application process

and application form for an eligible school entity seeking an

educator training grant under the program. The application

form shall include the following:

(i) The subject areas in which the eligible school

entity currently has rigorous courses of study offerings.

(ii) The subject areas in which the eligible school

entity does not have rigorous courses of study offerings.

(iii) The eligible school entity's plan to expand

and increase rigorous courses of study participation

within the eligible school entity, including for student

populations that have been traditionally underserved, and

how an educator training grant will help expedite the

eligible school entity's progress toward its rigorous

course of study participation goals.

(iv) The following information:

(A) The names of the eligible educators to be

trained using educator training grant proceeds.

(B) The school buildings within the eligible

school entity where the eligible educators will

teach.

in which the eligible educators will provide

instruction.

(D) Whether the instruction will be provided

through traditional classroom instruction or virtual

learning instruction.

(v) The names of the educator training entities that

will train the eligible educators to teach rigorous

courses of study.

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(vi) An agreement that the eligible school entity

will commit to offering the rigorous courses of study to

secondary students for at least five years.

(5) By June 30 of each year, each school entity that

receives an educator training grant under this section shall

report to the department the following for the immediately

preceding school year in a form and manner determined by the

department:

(i) Students who enrolled in rigorous courses of

study taught by an educator who received training funded

by the grant and the number of students who completed the

rigorous course of study.

(ii) The number of students who took an end-of-

course exam in rigorous courses of study taught by an

educator who received training funded by the grant.

(iii) The grade levels in which rigorous courses of

study were taught.

(iv) The number of educators who received training

funded by the grant who taught rigorous courses of study,

disaggregated by type within the school entity.

(v) The number and percentage of secondary students

who achieve a qualifying score, reported separately, from

a rigorous course of study exam at school entities.

(vi) The number and percentage of secondary students

who complete rigorous courses of study for dual

postsecondary credit, but within a school entity.

(6) The requirements of this section are subject to

funding being appropriated for this purpose.

appropriated for this purpose, beginning with the 2025-2026

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school year, the department shall provide rigorous course of

study exam fee assistance in accordance with the following:

(1) To the extent funding is available, the department

shall provide funding to school entities to subsidize the

cost for students to take end-of-course exams that lead to

the awarding of post-secondary credit, certification or

licensure.

(2) On an annual basis, each school entity shall certify

to the department the amount of funding due under paragraph

(1) in accordance with guidelines developed by the department

and posted on the department's publicly accessible Internet

website.

(1) The department shall reimburse school entities

100% of the exam fee for each student at or below 185% of the

Federal poverty threshold who completes an exam for a

rigorous course of study for which the student may take an

exam for college credit.

(2) On an annual basis, each school entity shall certify

to the department the amount of reimbursement due under

paragraph (1) in accordance with guidelines developed by the

department and posted on the department's publicly accessible

Internet website.

Section 1705-E. Powers and duties of department.

(a) Rules.--The department shall establish guidelines and

procedures necessary for the implementation of this article.

(b) Report.--By September 1, 2027, and every five years

thereafter, the department shall issue a report on the program

to the General Assembly that includes:

(1) The number of educators in school entities who

received training in rigorous course instruction by type and

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subject.

(2) The number and percentage of schools enrolling

secondary students that offer rigorous courses of study over

the five-year grant period.

(3) The number and percentage of secondary students who

completed rigorous courses of study at school entities.

(4) The number and percentage of secondary students who

achieved a qualifying score, reported separately, from a

rigorous course of study exam at school entities.

(5) The number and percentage of institutions of higher

education located within this Commonwealth that provide post-

secondary credit for rigorous courses of study exam scores.

(6) The names of the school entities and high schools

that do not offer rigorous courses of study or are below the

minimum benchmark established by the department under section

1703-E(c)(2)(i).

(7) The number and percentage of secondary students who

completed rigorous courses of study at the institution of

higher education for dual credit.

(8) The number and percentage of institutions of higher

education located in this Commonwealth that provide dual

credit for rigorous courses of study.

(9) The number of educators who were trained to teach

rigorous courses of study outside the core academic areas who

are teaching other rigorous courses of study.

Section 1706-E. Program funding.

(a) Funding.--Funding for the program, except for dual

credit, shall be made from annual appropriations made by the

General Assembly to the department for that purpose, as well as

available Federal funds or funds from private sources.

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(b) Priorities.--In the event of insufficient funds in any

fiscal year, the department shall prioritize funding based on

the number and percent of low-income students enrolled in the

eligible school entity's poverty level and deficiency in

providing rigorous course of study opportunities as compared to

the benchmark established by the department under section 1703-

E(c)(2)(i).

Section 1707-E. Rights of school employees.

Nothing in this article shall be construed to supersede or

preempt the rights, remedies and procedures afforded to school

employees or labor organizations under Federal or State law,

including the act of July 23, 1970 (P.L.563, No.195), known as

the Public Employe Relations Act, or any provision of a

collective bargaining agreement negotiated between a school

employer and an exclusive representative of the employees in

accordance with that act.

Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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