PRINTER'S NO. 2817
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1834
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY RAPP, D. MILLER, PHILLIPS-HILL, V. BROWN, CUTLER,
HARHAI, D. PARKER AND DeLUCA, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in high schools, providing for
professional development related to secondary transition
services.
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 a
section to read:
Section 1614.1. Professional Development Related to
Secondary Transition Services.--(a) (1) Beginning with the
2016-2017 school year, each professional educator employed by a
school entity who provides secondary transition services to
students who are either in grades eight through twelve or are
fourteen years of age or older shall complete the training
developed by the department under subsection (b) within two (2)
months after the professional educator assumes the duties of
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
providing secondary transition services and shall complete the
training again every five years thereafter.
(2) Each school entity shall monitor and ensure that
professional educators employed by the school entity comply with
paragraph (1).
(b) Within 180 days of the effective date of this section,
the department shall develop an online training program which
professional educators shall complete to comply with subsection
(a)(1), and shall make such training program and associated
relevant materials available free of charge. The training and
materials developed by the department under this subsection
shall at a minimum include the following:
(1) Foundations and implementation of transition services
education, including, but not limited to, the following:
(i) Related Federal and State laws.
(ii) Inclusive models, research, best practices, community-
based education and postsecondary education options.
(iii) Transition planning and service delivery for all
students with individualized education programs, including
culturally and linguistically diverse youth.
(2) Knowledge of individual transition services assessments
and system evaluation, including, but not limited to, the
following:
(i) Conducting, interpreting and overseeing individualized
formal and informal transition services assessments to ascertain
interests, strengths, preferences, aptitudes and needs related
to competitive employment, education, training and independent
living.
(ii) Developing individualized appropriate measurable
postsecondary goals and annual individualized education program
20160HB1834PN2817 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
goals based on the individualized transition services assessment
results.
(iii) Delivering transition services.
(3) Ability to develop transition services systems and
supports, including, but not limited to, the following:
(i) Best practices in postsecondary education.
(ii) Competitive integrated employment, including supported
employment.
(iii) Independent living and community participation,
including, but not limited to, implementation of social skills
training.
(iv) Positive behavioral supports.
(v) Assistive technology as related to transition goals.
(vi) Development of self-determination skills across all
settings.
(4) Instruction on how to collaborate and coordinate with
students, their families, professional educators and the public
in the following:
(i) Strategies for active participation of students and
families in individualized education program development,
transition education and services and support networks.
(ii) Development of partnerships with employers,
institutions of higher education, public agencies and community
service agencies.
(iii) Provision of technical assistance and professional
development to school personnel.
(5) Ability to coordinate in-school and employer instruction
and training activities with the total school curriculum and
philosophy, including the following:
(i) Establishing program guidelines and ensuring
20160HB1834PN2817 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
understanding of rules and regulations.
(ii) Implementing appropriate strategies for recruiting
students.
(iii) Correlating related classroom instruction and on-the-
job-training activities by developing a training agreement and a
training plan.
(iv) Selecting and assessing a training station based on
safety of the environment, accessibility for students, matching
career objectives and appropriateness for future development.
(v) Appropriately documenting wages, hours and related on-
the-job activities.
(vi) Developing procedures for integrating school and
training activities in areas such as academic and training
activities, attire and employer or school emergency needs.
(6) Knowledge of vocational guidance in the following areas:
(i) Aptitude, interest and ability assessment instruments.
(ii) Identifying student characteristics that may affect
performance.
(iii) External resources available to the secondary
transition services program specialist to enhance student
performance.
(iv) Developing and using follow-up student interviews and
student and parent interviews.
(7) Ability to implement individualized education programs
related to students with special needs, including the vocational
components of an individualized education program, through the
following:
(i) Identifying and selecting appropriate material for
students.
(ii) Identifying appropriate strategies or modifications for
20160HB1834PN2817 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
the development of training stations for students.
(iii) Identifying local agencies that can aid the vocational
development of students with special needs.
(c) The department shall provide any nonpublic school within
this Commonwealth with online Internet access to the training
and educational materials developed under subsection (b) upon
receiving a request from the nonpublic school.
(d) Completion of the training program developed and made
available by the department under subsection (b) shall be
credited toward any professional educator's continuing
professional education requirement under section 1205.2 and
toward any school or system leader's continuing professional
education requirement under section 1205.5.
(e) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
"Nonpublic school." A nonprofit school, other than a school
entity, wherein a resident of this Commonwealth may legally
fulfill the compulsory school attendance requirements of this
act and which meets the requirements of Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 (Public Law 88-352, 78 Stat. 241).
"Professional educator." As defined in section 1205.2(o).
"School entity." A school district, joint school district,
charter school, regional charter school, cyber charter school,
intermediate unit or area vocational-technical school.
"School or system leader." As defined in section 1205.5(g).
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
20160HB1834PN2817 - 5 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29