PRINTER'S NO. 1524

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

1370

Session of

2023

INTRODUCED BY MERCURI, CIRESI, SCHLEGEL CULVER, ROWE, SCIALABBA

AND STRUZZI, JUNE 12, 2023

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 12, 2023

Opportunity Pathways Program to distribute grants to in-need

schools and underrepresented schools; providing for duties of

Department of Community and Economic Development; and

establishing the Pennsylvania Opportunity Pathways Program

Fund.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known

as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding an

article to read:

"Applicant." An in-need school or an underrepresented school

that submits an application under section 2004-L(a) for a grant

under the program.

"Department." The Department of Community and Economic

Development of the Commonwealth.

"Fund." The Pennsylvania Opportunity Pathways Program Fund

established under section 2007-L(a).

"Grant." A grant provided by the department under the

program.

"Grant recipient." An in-need school or an underrepresented

school that received a grant under the program.

"Public institution of higher education." A community

college or an institution which is part of the State System of

Higher Education under Article XX-A .

"Public school." Any of the following:

(1) A school district.

(2) An intermediate unit.

(3) An area career and technical school.

(4) A charter school as defined in section 1703-A.

(5) A regional charter school as defined in section

1703-A.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

or health care, including mental health care, in this

Commonwealth.

Section 2002-L. Pennsylvania Opportunity Pathways Program.

The Pennsylvania Opportunity Pathways Program is established

in the department to distribute grants on a competitive basis to

in-need schools and underrepresented schools to aid low-income

students and students who are underrepresented in the fields of

education, law, law enforcement and health care, including

mental health care, in this Commonwealth to pursue careers in

the fields of education, law, law enforcement and health care,

recognized qualifications and certifications.

(4) The identification of the qualifications and

certifications necessary to fill current and anticipated

employment needs of a field of employment.

(5) Initiatives to effectively prepare students for

success in postsecondary education.

(6) Work-based learning opportunities, including

workplace visits, internships, apprenticeships, mentorships

or employment opportunities.

(7) Mentorship programs in the fields of education, law,

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

guidelines and an application process for applicants.

(2) Reviewing similar initiatives to the program in this

Commonwealth and other states for the purpose of establishing

and making available on the department's publicly accessible

Internet website a set of best practices and standards

designed to maximize the effectiveness of the program.

(3) Ensuring that grant recipients comply with the

department's best practices and standards as specified on the

department's publicly accessible Internet website under

paragraph (2).

the applicant.

(2) A statement of the amount of grant money sought by

the applicant.

(3) A verification that the applicant has:

(i) a proportion greater than the Statewide average

of students who come from families with household income

levels below the Federal poverty line; or

(ii) a proportion greater than the Statewide average

of students who are demographically underrepresented in

the field of education, law, law enforcement or health

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

define success, monitor progress and make improvements

through the use of the grant in accordance with section 2002-

L.

(6) Any other information required by the department.

(b) Technical assistance.--The department shall provide

technical assistance to applicants as necessary to implement the

program.

(c) Review.--The following apply:

(1) No later than 90 days from the date of receiving an

application under subsection (a), the department shall review

subsection (a), the department may approve the application

and award a grant under the program to the applicant for a

period of one year.

(2) The department may impose any other terms and

conditions on grants under the program as the department

determines is in the best interest of the Commonwealth and

the students who will be impacted by the grant.

(3) The department shall prioritize applications under

subsection (a) that propose initiatives in partnership

between other in-need schools or underrepresented schools.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

outside of the school district.

Section 2005-L. Evaluation of grants.

(a) Evaluation.--The department shall establish requirements

for a grant recipient to document information regarding the use

of a grant under the program to evaluate the success of the

program. The information shall include, if applicable, all of

the following information:

(1) The number of students who participated in

initiatives or opportunities funded by the grant.

(2) The demographics of students who participated in

grant.

(5) The proportion of students who participated in

initiatives or opportunities funded by the grant and enrolled

in postsecondary education.

(6) The course of study of students who participated in

initiatives or opportunities funded by the grant and enrolled

in postsecondary education, including an addendum stating

whether the students are pursuing a course of study in a

field encouraged by the program.

(7) The postsecondary graduation rates of students who

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

employed in a field encouraged by the program.

(9) Feedback from students, teachers and other

individuals regarding the program, including recommendations

for improving the program.

(10) A detailed description of the use of the grant,

including an itemized list of expenditures.

(11) Any other information the department deems

appropriate to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.

(b) Annual reporting.--A grant recipient shall submit a

report containing the information specified under subsection (a)

into an annual report. The department shall post the annual

report under this subsection on the department's publicly

accessible Internet website and provide the annual report to the

President pro tempore of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the

Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the

Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

Section 2006-L. Renewal of grants.

(a) Application process.--The department shall develop an

application process for a grant recipient to receive a renewal

of grant funding under the program.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

year. The department shall prioritize renewing grant funding for

grant recipients who have a demonstrable record of effectively

using the grant funds.

(c) Review.--The department may impose conditions upon a

grant recipient or deny renewal of grant funding if the

department determines that the grant recipient's use of the

grant funding in the previous year was ineffective.

(d) Restrictions.--The renewal of grant funds shall be

subject to the following restrictions:

(1) In year two of participation in the program, the

a grant recipient may not exceed 60% of the amount of grant

funding provided to the grant recipient in year one of

participation in the program.

(3) In year four of participation in the program, the

amount of grant renewal funding provided by the department to

a grant recipient may not exceed 40% of the amount of grant

funding provided to the grant recipient in year one of

participation in the program.

(4) In year five of participation in the program, the

amount of grant renewal funding provided by the department to

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

to a grant recipient for more than five years.

Section 2007-L. Pennsylvania Opportunity Pathways Program Fund.

(a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Opportunity Pathways

Program Fund is established in the State Treasury. The money in

the fund shall be used by the department to implement the

program.

(b) Funding.--The sum of $500,000 shall be transferred from

money made available under section 2006-B to the fund on an

annual basis to be used exclusively by the department to

implement the program. The department shall deposit available

program may not exceed the available funding for the program.

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a grant

awarded under the program may not affect the State or local

funding received by an in-need school or an underrepresented

school and the grant may not be included in a school

district's budgeted total expenditure per average daily

membership used to calculate the amount to be paid to a

charter school under section 1725-A(a)(2) and (3).

(3) A grant recipient may use a grant awarded under the

program only for the purposes stated in the grant recipient's

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9