PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2245 PRINTER'S NO. 2830
No. 1695 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY MYERS, WALKO, PARKER, BELFANTI, GOODMAN, HERSHEY,
YOUNGBLOOD, ARGALL, BRENNAN, HORNAMAN, McGEEHAN, BLACKWELL,
ROEBUCK, COHEN, JOSEPHS, THOMAS, REICHLEY, SWANGER, ROHRER,
BISHOP, FRANKEL, SCHRODER, K. SMITH, HENNESSEY AND SIPTROTH,
JULY 6, 2007
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, NOVEMBER 13, 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," providing for required parental
6 notification of certain incidents.
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 a
11 section to read:
12 Section 1314-A. Parental Notification.--(a) All school
13 entities shall adopt a policy and procedures for notification,
14 in a timely manner, of all parents, guardians or custodial
15 parents of students involved in all incidents involving acts of <--
16 violence or possession of a weapon on school property, behavior
17 issues and nonviolent injuries, those occurring as a result of
18 sports participation or on the playground. PARENTS OF STUDENTS <--
1 INVOLVED IN INCIDENTS WHICH ARE REQUIRED TO BE REPORTED IN THE
2 SCHOOL SAFETY REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT AND OF STUDENTS
3 WHO INCUR OTHER SERIOUS INJURIES ON SCHOOL PROPERTY, ON THE
4 SCHOOL BUS OR AT A SCHOOL ACTIVITY.
5 (b) Parents, guardians or custodial parents of students are
6 defined for purposes of this section as parents or guardians, <--
7 GUARDIANS OR CUSTODIAL PARENTS of students that are either
8 perpetrators or victims of incidents involving acts of violence, <--
9 possession of a weapon on school property, behavior issues and
10 nonviolent injuries, those occurring as a result of sports
11 participation or on the playground.
12 (c) The method of parental notification shall include, but
13 not be limited to, telephone calls, e-mails and certified mail.
14 (d) A parental, guardian and custodial parent information
15 card must be maintained and updated every six (6) months. A
16 photograph of parent(s)/custodian must be on file along with
17 their respective signatures.
18 (e) A biannual staff training on parental notification
19 procedures shall be conducted. Each member of the staff must
20 sign acknowledgment that evidences completion of the required
21 training.
22 (f) All schools must report all incidents on a monthly basis
23 to their respective school districts. All school districts must
24 complete and forward monthly incident reports to the Department
25 of Education of the Commonwealth. WHICH ARE REQUIRED TO BE <--
26 REPORTED IN THE SCHOOL SAFETY REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT
27 AND ANY OTHER INJURIES OCCURRING ON SCHOOL PROPERTY, THE SCHOOL
28 BUS OR AT A SCHOOL ACTIVITY.
29 (C) PARENTS, GUARDIANS OR CUSTODIAL PARENTS MAY BE NOTIFIED
30 IN PERSON, BY TELEPHONE, BY E-MAIL, BY TEXT MESSAGES OR BY
20070H1695B2830 - 2 -
1 CERTIFIED MAIL. SCHOOL ENTITIES SHALL MAKE A REASONABLE EFFORT
2 TO NOTIFY A PARENT, GUARDIAN OR CUSTODIAL PARENT IN THE
3 PREFERRED MANNER INDICATED ON THE CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE
4 PARENT, GUARDIAN OR CUSTODIAL PARENT. THE PREFERRED METHOD OF
5 NOTIFICATION MUST BE DOCUMENTED. IN THE EVENT OF A SCHOOL OR
6 DISTRICT-WIDE EMERGENCY, THE SCHOOL ENTITY MAY USE ALTERNATIVE
7 METHODS TO NOTIFY PARENTS, GUARDIANS OR CUSTODIAL PARENTS.
8 (D) SCHOOL ENTITIES MUST MAINTAIN CURRENT CONTACT
9 INFORMATION FOR EACH PARENT, GUARDIAN OR CUSTODIAL PARENT. THE
10 CONTACT INFORMATION MUST ALLOW PARENTS, GUARDIANS AND CUSTODIAL
11 PARENTS TO IDENTIFY A PREFERRED METHOD OF CONTACT IN THE EVENT
12 THAT PARENTAL NOTIFICATION IS REQUIRED.
13 (E) EACH SCHOOL ENTITY SHALL PROVIDE TRAINING REGARDING THE
14 REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION TO ALL STAFF WHO COME INTO CONTACT
15 WITH CHILDREN. THAT TRAINING SHALL INCLUDE RECOGNIZING INCIDENTS
16 THAT TRIGGER THE NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT, THE SCHOOL ENTITY'S
17 POLICY AND PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND ANY RECORD-KEEPING AND
18 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. TRAINING REQUIRED UNDER THIS SECTION MAY
19 BE INCORPORATED WITH OTHER TRAINING AND IN-SERVICE ACTIVITIES OF
20 THE SCHOOL ENTITY.
21 (F) ALL INCIDENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE REPORTED UNDER
22 SECTION 1303-A(B) SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS
23 SECTION.
24 (g) The Secretary of Education shall withhold all MAY <--
25 WITHHOLD State payments to any school district that fails to
26 comply with this section.
27 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
F20L24JS/20070H1695B2830 - 3 -