PRINTER'S NO. 790
No. 724 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY MUSTO, FONTANA, WAUGH, WASHINGTON, LOGAN, MELLOW,
COSTA, WONDERLING AND LAVALLE, APRIL 2, 2007
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, APRIL 2, 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," further providing for
6 responsibilities of department and State Board of Education.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 1603-B 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), is amended to read:
12 Section 1603-B. Responsibilities of department and State Board
13 of Education.
14 (a) Rules and regulations.--The State Board of Education
15 shall promulgate any regulations necessary to carry out the
16 provisions of this article pursuant to the act of June 25, 1982
17 (P.L.633, No.181), known as the Regulatory Review Act.
18 (b) Promotional materials.--The department shall publish
19 promotional materials on its publicly accessible website that
1 may be used by school entities to inform parents and students
2 about the requirements, features and opportunities of concurrent
3 enrollment programs established under this article. To the
4 extent that the department provides school entities with printed
5 promotional materials for dissemination, the department shall
6 make such materials available, upon request, to any charter
7 school, nonpublic school, private school or home education
8 program.
9 (c) Grants.--
10 (1) The department shall provide a grant to any school
11 entity that has applied for grant funds under section 1611-
12 B(c) and has approved a concurrent enrollment program as set
13 forth in this article. The grant amount to each school entity
14 shall be calculated for each concurrent course as follows:
15 (i) Determine the total approved cost for all
16 concurrent students who are residents of the school
17 district or enrolled in the area vocational-technical
18 school.
19 (ii) Multiply the amount from subparagraph (i) by
20 the sum of 0.425 and the market value/income aid ratio of
21 the school entity, provided that where a concurrent
22 student is enrolled in an area vocational-technical
23 school, the market value/income aid ratio shall be the
24 average of the market value/income aid ratios of the
25 concurrent students' school districts of residence.
26 (2) (i) The total amount of grant funds available for
27 concurrent courses classified as early college high
28 school, middle college high school or gateway to college
29 programs shall equal 6% of the total amount of funds
30 appropriated for concurrent enrollment programs under
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1 this article.
2 (ii) Where the total amount of grants provided for
3 concurrent courses classified as early college high
4 school, middle college high school or gateway to college
5 programs is less than the total amount of grant funds
6 available under this paragraph, any unexpended grant
7 funds shall be made available for other concurrent
8 students.
9 (3) (i) The total amount of grant funds available for
10 concurrent students who are enrolled in charter schools,
11 nonpublic schools, private schools or home education
12 programs shall equal [6%] 4.8% of the total amount of
13 funds appropriated for concurrent enrollment programs
14 under this article.
15 (ii) Where the total amount of grants provided on
16 behalf of concurrent students who are enrolled in charter
17 schools, nonpublic schools, private schools or home
18 education programs is less than the total amount of grant
19 funds available under this paragraph, any unexpended
20 grant funds shall be made available for other concurrent
21 students.
22 (4) The grant amount shall not exceed 100% of the total
23 approved cost of a concurrent course. Where funds
24 appropriated for this program are insufficient to fund the
25 full amount of all grants calculated under this subsection,
26 each grant amount shall be reduced on a pro rata basis.
27 (d) Supplemental grants.--
28 (1) The department shall provide a supplemental grant
29 amount to any school entity that has applied for grant funds
30 under section 1611-B(c) and has at least one low-income
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1 concurrent student enrolled in a concurrent course. The
2 supplemental grant amount shall equal the cost of tuition,
3 books and fees for which a low-income concurrent student is
4 responsible in order to enroll in a concurrent course.
5 (2) (i) The total amount of grant funds available under
6 this subsection shall equal [15%] 30% of the total amount
7 of funds appropriated for concurrent enrollment programs
8 under this article. Where funds available for
9 supplemental grants are insufficient to fund the full
10 amount of all supplemental grants under this subsection,
11 supplemental grant amounts shall be reduced on a pro rata
12 basis.
13 (ii) Where the total amount of supplemental grants
14 provided on behalf of low-income concurrent students is
15 less than the total amount of grant funds available under
16 this paragraph, any unexpended grant funds shall be made
17 available for other concurrent students.
18 (e) Technical assistance.--Upon request of a board of school
19 directors of a school entity, the department shall provide
20 technical assistance in the development of concurrent enrollment
21 agreements and concurrent enrollment programs.
22 (f) Annual report.--The department shall produce an annual
23 report on concurrent enrollment programs using the reporting
24 information submitted by school entities under section 1611-
25 B(b). The annual report shall be provided to the chairman and
26 minority chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the Senate,
27 the chairman and minority chairman of the Appropriations
28 Committee of the House of Representatives, the chairman and
29 minority chairman of the Education Committee of the Senate and
30 the chairman and minority chairman of the Education Committee of
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1 the House of Representatives no later than February 1, 2007, and
2 February 1 of each year thereafter. The report shall be
3 published on the department's publicly accessible website.
4 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007, or
5 immediately, whichever is later.
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