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                                                      PRINTER'S NO. 3666

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 2475 Session of 2008


        INTRODUCED BY KIRKLAND, M. O'BRIEN, FRANKEL, PARKER, BEYER,
           JOSEPHS, YOUNGBLOOD, STURLA, KORTZ, WHEATLEY, THOMAS, COHEN,
           PAYTON, McILVAINE SMITH, BISHOP AND DERMODY, MAY 2, 2008

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 2, 2008

                                     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," further providing for education
     6     empowerment districts.

     7     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     8  hereby enacts as follows:
     9     Section 1.  Section 1705-B(h) of the act of March 10, 1949
    10  (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
    11  amended July 11, 2006 (P.L.1092, No.114) and July 20, 2007
    12  (P.L.278, No.45), is amended to read:
    13     Section 1705-B.  Education Empowerment Districts.--* * *
    14     (h)  (1)  A school district under a declaration of distress
    15  pursuant to section 691(a) and certified as an education
    16  empowerment district shall be operated by a special board of
    17  control established under section 692. A board of control
    18  established under this section shall be abolished upon the
    19  appointment of a special board of control under section 692.


     1     (2)  For a school district under a declaration of distress
     2  pursuant to section 691(a) and certified as an education
     3  empowerment district, the special board of control established
     4  under section 692 shall have the powers and duties of a special
     5  board of control under section 692 and the powers and duties
     6  contained in section 1706-B.
     7     (3)  For a school district with a history of low test
     8  performance that is certified as distressed for a minimum period
     9  of two (2) years under sections 691 and 692, the department
    10  shall waive the inclusion of the school district on the
    11  education empowerment list under section 1703-B(a) and
    12  immediately certify the school district as an education
    13  empowerment district.
    14     (4)  The department may utilize up to $4,500,000 of
    15  undistributed funds not expended, encumbered or committed from
    16  appropriations for grants and subsidies made to the department
    17  to assist school districts certified as an education empowerment
    18  district under paragraph (3). There is hereby established a
    19  restricted account from which payments under this paragraph
    20  shall be paid. Funds shall be transferred by the Secretary of
    21  the Budget to the restricted account to the extent necessary to
    22  make payments under this paragraph. Funds in the restricted
    23  account are hereby appropriated to carry out the purposes of
    24  this paragraph. The subsidy payment from this account shall be
    25  utilized to supplement the operational budget of the eligible
    26  school districts. This paragraph shall apply to fiscal years
    27  2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2004-2005, 2005-
    28  2006, 2006-2007 [and], 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 and shall expire
    29  June 30, [2008] 2009.
    30     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008, or
    20080H2475B3666                  - 2 -     

     1  immediately, whichever is later.




















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