PRINTER'S NO. 2061
No. 347 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY O'NEILL, ADOLPH, BARRAR, BOYD, CALTAGIRONE, CLYMER, CREIGHTON, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FLECK, GEIST, GINGRICH, HUTCHINSON, KIRKLAND, MAHONEY, R. MILLER, MILNE, MOYER, MURT, RAPP, REICHLEY, SAYLOR, S. H. SMITH, STAIRS, SURRA, SWANGER AND WATSON, JUNE 25, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 25, 2007
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1 Establishing a special bipartisan legislative task force to 2 examine the feasibility and costs associated with creating a 3 State-operated, Internet-based high school, to be known as 4 the Pennsylvania Virtual High School. 5 WHEREAS, Existing State programs to provide for high school 6 reform and access to dual enrollment and tutoring programs are 7 limited in scope and accessibility by the Commonwealth's 501 8 public school districts; and 9 WHEREAS, All high school students in this Commonwealth 10 deserve equal access to the benefits of high school reform 11 efforts and a greater variety of learning opportunities; and 12 WHEREAS, A number of states, including Florida, Kentucky, 13 Texas, Georgia and West Virginia, already operate or are 14 planning state-sponsored virtual high schools as a cost- 15 effective way to deliver a diversity of high school programs; 16 and 17 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Virtual High School could offer, in
1 a cost-efficient format, a range of learning services, 2 including: 3 (1) expanded curricular offerings, such as higher level 4 mathematics and science courses; 5 (2) increased options for concurrent enrollment in 6 higher education; 7 (3) summer enrichment and tutoring programs; 8 (4) increased instructional options for at-risk, 9 homebound and alternative education students; 10 (5) expanded offerings for gifted and talented students; 11 and 12 (6) linkages between students and prospective employers, 13 including those offering internships and apprenticeships; 14 and 15 WHEREAS, Some virtual learning opportunities are already 16 available in this Commonwealth, such as the Scranton City School 17 District's Alternative Virtual Education (SAVE) program and 18 programs offered through blendedschools.net; therefore be it 19 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly 20 establish a bipartisan legislative task force to examine the 21 feasibility and costs related to the establishment of a State- 22 operated, Internet-based high school, to be known as the 23 Pennsylvania Virtual High School, which would provide secondary 24 students throughout this Commonwealth with access to a wide 25 range of learning services, including, at a minimum: 26 (1) expanded curricular offerings, such as higher-level 27 mathematics and science courses, foreign language courses and 28 Advanced Placement courses; 29 (2) increased options for concurrent enrollment in 30 higher education; 20070H0347R2061 - 2 -
1 (3) SAT preparation programs; 2 (4) summer enrichment and tutoring courses; 3 (5) increased instructional options for at-risk 4 students, homebound and alternative education students; 5 (6) expanded offerings for gifted and talented students; 6 and 7 (7) establishment of linkages between students and 8 prospective employers, including those offering high school 9 internships and apprenticeships; 10 and be it further 11 RESOLVED, That the task force consist of the following 29 12 members: 13 (1) The chairman and minority chairman of the Education 14 Committee of the Senate and the chairman and minority 15 chairman of the Education Committee of the House of 16 Representatives. 17 (2) Two members of the Senate, one each to be chosen by 18 the President pro tempore and the Minority Leader of the 19 Senate. 20 (3) Two members of the House of Representatives, one 21 each to be chosen by the Majority Leader and Minority Leader 22 of the House of Representatives. 23 (4) The Secretary of Education or a designee. 24 (5) The chairperson of the State Board of Education or a 25 designee who shall be a member of the State Board of 26 Education. 27 (6) The Chancellor of the State System of Higher 28 Education or a designee. 29 (7) The presidents of each of the Commonwealth's four 30 State-related universities or their designees. 20070H0347R2061 - 3 -
1 (8) The president of the Pennsylvania Commission on 2 Community Colleges or a designee. 3 (9) The president of the Pennsylvania Association of 4 Independent Colleges and Universities or a designee. 5 (10) The president of the Pennsylvania Association of 6 School Administrators or a designee. 7 (11) The president of the Pennsylvania Association of 8 Elementary and Secondary School Principals or a designee. 9 (12) The president of the Pennsylvania Association of 10 Intermediate Units or a designee. 11 (13) The president of the Pennsylvania Association of 12 Rural and Small Schools or a designee. 13 (14) The president of the Pennsylvania League of Urban 14 Schools or a designee. 15 (15) The president of the Pennsylvania Federation of 16 Teachers or a designee. 17 (16) The president of the Pennsylvania State Education 18 Association or a designee. 19 (17) The president of the Pennsylvania School Boards 20 Association or a designee. 21 (18) The president of the Pennsylvania PTA or a 22 designee. 23 (19) The president of the Pennsylvania Chamber of 24 Business and Industry or a designee. 25 (20) Two representatives of Pennsylvania's broadband 26 cable industry, one of whom shall be selected by the 27 President pro tempore of the Senate and one of whom shall be 28 selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 29 and be it further 30 RESOLVED, That members be appointed within 30 days of the 20070H0347R2061 - 4 -
1 adoption of this resolution and that names be furnished to the 2 chairman and minority chairman of the Education Committee of the 3 Senate and the chairman and minority chairman of the Education 4 Committee of the House of Representatives; and be it further 5 RESOLVED, That the Majority Chairman and Minority Chairman of 6 the Education Committee of the Senate and the Majority Chairman 7 and Minority Chairman of the Education Committee of the House 8 jointly call the initial meeting of the task force, at which 9 meeting the members shall elect a chairperson from its 10 membership; and be it further 11 RESOLVED, That the first meeting of the task force be 12 convened no later than 60 days after adoption of this 13 resolution; and be it further 14 RESOLVED, That the task force be authorized to hold hearings, 15 take testimony and make its investigations at such places as it 16 deems necessary in this Commonwealth; and be it further 17 RESOLVED, That in undertaking this investigation, the task 18 force have the following powers and duties: 19 (1) to meet with all segments of the basic and higher 20 education communities, representatives of this Commonwealth's 21 business and labor communities and Internet service providers 22 operating within this Commonwealth to discuss their potential 23 involvement in the operation of a State-sponsored virtual 24 high school program; 25 (2) to meet with current operators of Internet-based 26 educational programs operating within this Commonwealth, 27 including those operated by school districts, intermediate 28 units and blended school programs; 29 (3) to review State-operated virtual high school 30 programs already in operation throughout the United States; 20070H0347R2061 - 5 -
1 and 2 (4) to evaluate and make recommendations on the 3 following: 4 (i) An agency or institution to be responsible for 5 administration of the school and oversight of day-to-day 6 operations. 7 (ii) Courses to be offered, including how they will 8 be determined and assessed. 9 (iii) Faculty, including salaries, certification, 10 training, professional development and evaluation. 11 (iv) Policies for awarding credits. 12 (v) Assuring maximum accessibility to high school 13 students in all geographic locations. 14 (vi) Student enrollment, verification of attendance 15 and performance assessment. 16 (vii) Program accountability. 17 (viii) Methods for funding, including cost 18 estimates. 19 (ix) Internet filtering, blocking and other security 20 issues. 21 (x) Intellectual property issues such as patents, 22 copyrights and trademarks. 23 (xi) Adaptation and accessibility for students with 24 disabilities. 25 (xii) Such other issues as it deems appropriate; 26 and be it further 27 RESOLVED, That the task force report to the General Assembly 28 on its activities and findings and make recommendations no later 29 than April 1, 2008; and be it further 30 RESOLVED, That staff for the task force be made available by 20070H0347R2061 - 6 -
1 the Education Committee of the Senate and the Education 2 Committee of the House of Representatives; and be it further 3 RESOLVED, That members of the task force serve without 4 compensation but be reimbursed for all necessary and actual 5 expenses incurred in the performance of their duties; and be it 6 further 7 RESOLVED, That the actual expenses incurred by the task force 8 and staff be equally divided between the Senate and the House of 9 Representatives and be paid from appropriate accounts under the 10 control of the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of 11 the House of Representatives; and be it further 12 RESOLVED, That, within 30 days after the task force has made 13 its report, the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of 14 the House of Representatives cause a record of all expenses 15 incurred by the members of the task force which are payable by 16 the Commonwealth to be made publicly available. C12L82DMS/20070H0347R2061 - 7 -