1Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2act relating to the public school system, including certain
3provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5laws relating thereto," providing for rural regional
6community college pilot program for underserved counties.

7The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8hereby enacts as follows:

9Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding an
11article to read:

12ARTICLE XIX-G

13RURAL REGIONAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE

14PILOT PROGRAM FOR UNDERSERVED COUNTIES

15Section 1901-G. Scope of article.

16This article provides for a pilot program to establish a
17rural regional community college in an 11-county rural area that
18is underserved by comprehensive community college education and
19work force development.

1Section 1902-G. Definitions.

2The following words and phrases when used in this article
3shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
4context clearly indicates otherwise:

5"Annual." A 12-month period coterminous with the
6Commonwealth's fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending June 30.

7"Board of trustees." The board of trustees of a rural
8regional community college established under this article.

9"County." Any county in this Commonwealth.

10"Certified public accountant." A member of the American
11Institute of Certified Public Accountants who has a minimum of
12five years' verifiable experience in performing audits of
13government funds for nonprofit organizations with a comparable
14or larger annual budget.

15"Rural regional community college" or "regional rural
16school." A public institution which is established in a rural
17area and operated in accordance with the provisions of this
18article as a nonprofit organization which provides up to a two-
19year, postsecondary education not to exceed the level of an
20associate of arts or sciences degree and which is active in work
21force development.

22"Rural regional school plan" or "plan." A plan for the
23establishment and operation of a regional rural school under
24this article.

25"Secretary." The Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth
26or such person as the secretary may designate to act on behalf
27of the secretary with regard to any of the duties and
28prerogatives imposed by this article.

29"State Board." The State Board of Education.

30Section 1903-G. Designation; pilot program and future rural

1regional community colleges.

2The secretary, within 30 days of the effective date of this
3article, shall work with an established nonprofit organization
4as defined under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
5of 1986 (Public Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)) representing
6a rural multicounty region which is underserved by a
7comprehensive community college program, including work force
8development. The Education Consortium of the Upper Allegheny
9represents an 11-county area and is designated under this
10section.

11Section 1904-G. Designation; board of trustees.

12Within 60 days of the secretary's designation under section
131903-G, a board of trustees shall be appointed to establish the
14rural regional school required under this article. The board of
15trustees shall consist of not less than seven members nor more
16than 11 members appointed by the secretary who are
17representative of the area designated jointly by the secretary
18and the nonprofit organization under section 1903-G. The
19following shall apply to the board of trustees established under
20this section:

21(1) Members of the board of trustees shall be appointed
22for terms of three years each, except that those persons
23initially appointed shall draw lots to determine which
24trustees shall serve for a term of three years, which
25trustees shall serve for a term of two years and which
26trustees shall serve for a term of one year. Thereafter, all
27members shall be appointed for terms of three years each.

28(2) Vacancies on the board shall be filled by the
29existing board. A trustee may succeed himself, provided that
30no member shall serve for longer than ten years.

1(3) The secretary shall convene an initial meeting of
2the board of trustees within 90 days of the secretary's
3designation under this section. After the initial meeting,
4the board of trustees shall meet at such times each year as
5the board of trustees determines to be necessary to satisfy
6the requirements of this article.

7(4) The board of trustees shall adopt standing operating
8rules and procedures.

9(5) The board of trustees shall choose from among its
10members a chairman, vice chairman and secretary.

11(6) A majority of the members of the board of trustees
12shall constitute a quorum.

13(7) Trustees shall serve without compensation, except
14that they shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary
15expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

16Section 1905-G. Establishment.

17(a) General rule.--Within one year of the effective date of
18this article, the board of trustees appointed under section
191904-G shall submit to the secretary a proposed regional rural
20school plan in such form and containing such information as the
21secretary may require. In addition to other information which
22may be required by the secretary, the plan shall include the
23following:

24(1) A designation of the name of the proposed regional
25technical school, which shall be the "Regional Community
26College of " or " Regional
27Community College."

28(2) A survey of the vocational and occupational needs of
29the area and the means by which the proposed regional rural
30school will meet those needs, reduce unemployment and improve

1the employable skills of residents of the area to be served
2by the regional rural school.

3(3) An operating and financial plan for the proposed
4regional rural school, including a plan for the capital needs
5and expenses of the proposed regional rural school.

6(4) A plan by which the regional rural school shall seek
7accreditation by an accrediting association which is
8recognized by the United States Department of Education.

9(b) Submission of plan.--Within 30 days of the submission of
10the regional rural school plan to the secretary, the secretary
11shall issue an approval or rejection of the plan. A rejection of
12the plan shall be accompanied by a written statement of the
13reasons for the rejection of the plan. If the plan is rejected,
14the board of trustees shall submit a revised plan to the
15secretary within 60 days of the plan's rejection.

16(c) Plan approval.--Upon the approval of the plan by the
17secretary, the regional rural school shall be considered
18established.

19Section 1906-G. Powers and duties of board of trustees.

20(a) General rule.--The board of trustees appointed under
21section 1904-G shall administer and supervise the affairs of any
22regional rural school established under this article. Subject to
23any other law and to any regulations promulgated by the State
24Board pertaining to regional rural schools, the board of
25trustees shall have the following powers and duties:

26(1) To appoint and fix the salary of a president of the
27regional rural school.

28(2) To appoint and fix the salary of a treasurer of the
29regional rural school.

30(3) To hold, rent, lease, sell, purchase and improve

1land, buildings, furnishings, equipment, materials, books and
2supplies.

3(4) To enter into contracts for services with community
4education councils, schools, colleges or universities, or
5with school districts or municipalities, to effectuate the
6purposes of this article.

7(5) To accept and receive gifts of real and personal
8property and Federal, State and local moneys and grants, and
9to expend the same.

10(6) To make policies providing for the admission and
11expulsion of students, the courses of instruction, the
12tuition and fees to be charged and for all matters related to
13the government and administration of the regional rural
14school, provided that policies related to admission, tuition
15and fees give preference to residents of the 11-county area
16designated by the secretary pursuant to section 1903-G.

17(7) To submit to the secretary for approval proposed
18amendments to the regional rural school plan.

19(8) To enter into contracts for services to high schools
20located in the area designated by the secretary under section
211903-G to provide area vocational-technical education
22services.

23(9) To submit an annual budget to the secretary for
24consideration and approval.

25(10) To exercise such other powers and perform such
26other duties as are necessary to effectuate the purposes of
27this article.

28(b) Duties of board.--The board of trustees shall enter into
29contracts, hold property and take other actions in the name of
30the regional school.

1Section 1907-G. Officers of regional rural school.

2(a) President.--The president shall be the chief executive
3and administrative officer of the regional rural school and
4shall perform all duties which the board of trustees may
5prescribe. The president shall have the right to attend meetings
6of the board of trustees and to be heard on all matters before
7it, but shall have no right to vote on any matter.

8(b) Treasurer.--The treasurer of the regional rural school
9shall give a proper bond in such amount and with such corporate
10surety as is approved by the board of trustees. The treasurer
11shall file the bond with the board of trustees. The account of
12the treasurer shall be audited annually by a certified public
13accountant or other qualified public accountant selected by the
14board of trustees.

15Section 1908-G. Students.

16Any individual may apply for admission to the regional rural
17school established under this article, provided that preference
18in admissions, tuition and fees may be given to residents of the
19multicounty area designated by the secretary pursuant to section
201903-G. In considering applicants for admission, the regional
21rural school shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
22gender, marital status, ethnic group or religion.

23Section 1909-G. Tuition.

24The tuition charged by each regional rural school shall be an
25amount determined by the board of trustees of the regional rural
26school, in accordance with the budget approved by the secretary
27and with regulations of the State Board. The board of trustees
28shall determine the amount of tuition which will not exceed the
29Pennsylvania in-resident community college average.

30Section 1910-G. Dissolution of regional rural school.

1No regional rural school established under this article shall
2be dissolved without the approval of the secretary. Upon
3dissolution of the regional rural school, the Commonwealth shall
4assume all assets and liabilities of the regional rural school.

5Section 1911-G. Degrees.

6A regional rural school established under this article may
7award any type of diploma, technical or career training
8certificate or degree not to exceed the level of an associate of
9arts or sciences degree.

10Section 1912-G. Funding.

11A regional rural school established under this article shall
12be funded by an appropriation by the General Assembly, grants
13from the Federal Government, grants from the Commonwealth,
14grants from private foundations or any combination thereof.

15Section 1913-G. Financial aid.

16Students enrolled in a regional rural school established
17under this article shall be eligible for financial aid to the
18extent permitted under Federal and State law.

19Section 1914-G. Regulations.

20The State Board may promulgate final-omitted regulations
21pursuant to the act of June 25, 1982 (P.L.633, No.181), known as
22the Regulatory Review Act, as necessary to implement this
23article.

24Section 1915-G. Reports.

25The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee shall prepare
26and submit to the General Assembly written interim and final
27reports evaluating the operation of this article. The interim
28report shall be submitted by June 30, 2018, and the final report
29shall be submitted by June 30, 2022. Each report shall include,
30but may not be limited to, the following:

1(1) A review of the success of the regional rural school
2established under this article in satisfying the goals set
3forth in the regional rural school plan approved by the
4secretary and in satisfying the needs of the multicounty area
5the rural technical school was established to serve.

6(2) Demographic and program data, including the
7following:

8(i) Numbers of full-time and part-time faculty and
9student enrollments, in total and within curricular
10areas.

11(ii) Dual enrollment participation.

12(iii) Credit hours taught by faculty.

13(iv) Distance learning courses offered.

14(v) Articulation agreements with higher education
15institutions.

16(vi) Lists of courses with fewer than 20 students.

17(vii) Lists of courses with more than 50 students.

18Where available, student data shall be disaggregated by
19categories, including gender, race and age.

20(3) Student progress and achievement measures, including
21the following:

22(i) Retention rates.

23(ii) Graduation rates after two, three and four
24years.

25(iii) Passing rates on certification and licensure
26examinations.

27(iv) Number of students employed within one year of
28program completion.

29(v) Placement into additional education or
30employment in the student's field of study.

1Where available, data shall be disaggregated by categories,
2including gender, race and age.

3(4) Economic and work force development measures,
4including:

5(i) Employer satisfaction.

6(ii) Customized job training offerings.

7(iii) Employment status.

8(iv) Numbers of businesses and organizations served.

9(5) Recommendations for future legislation.

10Section 1916-G. Expiration.

11This article shall expire June 30, 2023, unless reenacted
12prior to that date.

13Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.