PRINTER'S NO. 89
No. 64 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY STAIRS, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, FAIRCHILD,
HENNESSEY, KING, MACKERETH, O'NEILL, REICHLEY, SONNEY,
STURLA, WALKO, WHEATLEY, YUDICHAK, DALLY, RAPP, FRANKEL,
GRUCELA, PICKETT AND BEYER, JANUARY 30, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 30, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," establishing the High School Redesign
6 Commission and providing for its powers and duties.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10 as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding an
11 article to read:
12 ARTICLE XVI-C
13 HIGH SCHOOL REDESIGN COMMISSION
14 Section 1601-C. High School Redesign Commission.
15 There is hereby established an independent commission under
16 the sole jurisdiction of the General Assembly whose purpose it
17 shall be to collect, review, analyze and recommend strategies
18 for the General Assembly and school districts to promote and
19 improve high school student performance and to achieve
1 efficiencies in the delivery of secondary education. The
2 commission shall make recommendations to the General Assembly
3 to:
4 (1) Identify strategies for incentives within the State
5 budget.
6 (2) Develop Statewide educational policy on secondary
7 education, including, but not limited to, the feasibility and
8 advisability of establishing a Statewide core curriculum for
9 high schools.
10 (3) Determine fiscal analysis of each recommendation or
11 strategy.
12 (4) Adopt guiding principles and programs that assess
13 current and future needs of secondary schools and students
14 and improve student success in high schools within this
15 Commonwealth.
16 Section 1602-C. Membership.
17 (a) General rule.--The High School Redesign Commission shall
18 be comprised of the following persons:
19 (1) The Governor or his designee.
20 (2) The Secretary of Education or his designee.
21 (3) Two members of the State Board of Education
22 designated by the chairman of that board.
23 (4) A member designated by the chancellor of the State
24 System of Higher Education.
25 (5) Two members of local boards of school directors, one
26 each appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate and the
27 Majority Leader of the House of Representatives.
28 (6) A member of a local workforce investment board
29 appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate.
30 (7) Two classroom teachers, one each appointed by the
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1 Minority Leader of the Senate and the Minority Leader of the
2 House of Representatives.
3 (8) Four representatives of the business community, one
4 each appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate, the
5 Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Minority
6 Leader of the Senate and the Minority Leader of the House of
7 Representatives.
8 (9) One superintendent appointed by the Speaker of the
9 House of Representatives.
10 (10) The chairman of the Education Committee of the
11 Senate or his designee.
12 (11) The chairman of the Education Committee of the
13 House of Representatives or his designee.
14 (12) The minority chairman of the Education Committee of
15 the Senate or his designee.
16 (13) The minority chairman of the Education Committee of
17 the House of Representatives or his designee.
18 (b) Terms.--Each nonlegislative member of the commission
19 shall serve for a term of two years and may be reappointed.
20 Legislative and administrative members may serve for the
21 duration of their current term of office.
22 (c) Officers.--The commission shall select its chairman and
23 vice chairman from among the legislative members of the
24 commission.
25 (d) Quorum.--The presence of a majority of the commission
26 members shall constitute a quorum. Any decisions of the
27 commission shall be made by a majority of the commission members
28 appointed and serving at that time.
29 (e) Expense reimbursements.--Members shall receive
30 reimbursement for expenses incurred as part of their official
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1 duties, but no compensation shall be paid for attending meetings
2 of the commission. Reimbursements shall be paid for actual
3 expenses submitted in accordance with the guidelines of the
4 Executive Board and shall be paid from funds appropriated for
5 this purpose by the General Assembly.
6 (f) Initial meeting.--The commission shall convene an
7 initial meeting within 60 days of the effective date of this
8 section. The chairman of the Education Committee of the House of
9 Representatives shall preside at the meeting until the election
10 of a chairman at that meeting.
11 (g) Staff.--The General Assembly shall provide sufficient
12 staff to assist the commission in the fulfillment of its duties.
13 (h) Meetings.--The commission shall meet at least every six
14 months for the purpose of fulfilling its duties and
15 responsibilities.
16 (i) Reports.--The commission shall by November 30 of each
17 year prepare and issue a report to the Governor and the General
18 Assembly regarding the legislative and administrative
19 recommendations for consideration in preparation of the
20 Commonwealth's General Fund budget. The first report shall be
21 issued no later than November 30 of the year following the first
22 full year after the effective date of this section.
23 (j) Accountability block grants.--Any recommendations for
24 fiscal incentive strategies for high school reform or redesign
25 shall qualify for accountability block grants under section
26 2599.2 for up to five years beyond the year of initial
27 recommendation.
28 Section 1603-C. Commission recommendations.
29 In making its recommendations, the commission shall consider
30 the following:
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1 (1) Strategies for increasing the rigor of the high
2 school curriculum, including a study of the feasibility and
3 advisability of establishing a Statewide high school
4 curriculum.
5 (2) Strategies for increasing dual enrollment
6 opportunities for high school students, including, but not
7 limited to:
8 (i) Early entry into postsecondary and higher
9 education.
10 (ii) The identification of potential funding sources
11 for such dual enrollment strategies.
12 (iii) Improved articulation agreements between
13 secondary schools and postsecondary institutions.
14 (3) Strategies based on scientific research and
15 supporting data that promote:
16 (i) A strengthening of the Commonwealth's high
17 school diploma endorsements.
18 (ii) Better integration of job skill assessments
19 into high school preparation programs and initiatives.
20 (iii) Better alignment of secondary skill and
21 knowledge with the skills and knowledge of postsecondary
22 institutions.
23 (iv) Improvement of the rigor of high school
24 curriculum, especially establishing a rigorous core
25 curriculum.
26 (v) Exploring the advisability and feasibility of
27 testing students at the end of each course that a student
28 completes.
29 (vi) Reduction in the number of students who leave
30 high school prior to graduation, including those
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1 strategies that assist underperforming students to make
2 progress in order to graduate from high school.
3 (vii) Innovations to the senior year of high school
4 in order for the time spent during that year to be
5 academically motivating and enriching in preparation of
6 students for life beyond graduation.
7 (viii) Diploma options for high school students.
8 (ix) Assessing students' personal skills early in
9 their secondary education as a means of assisting
10 parents, teachers and guidance counselors in their advice
11 to high school students regarding their selection of
12 academic courses and career goals.
13 (x) Restructuring or redesigning secondary schools
14 by size, population, grade configuration or other factor,
15 so long as that redesign or restructuring promotes
16 academic efficiency and performance.
17 (4) The fiscal impact such strategies and initiatives
18 will cost the Commonwealth and its school entities to
19 implement. Fiscal notes shall be included in the commission's
20 annual report.
21 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007, or
22 immediately, whichever is later.
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