PRINTER'S NO. 1464
No. 1204 Session of 1977
INTRODUCED BY DOUGHERTY, SMITH, REIBMAN, LYNCH, MURRAY, ROMANELLI, FLEMING, BELL, DWYER, STAUFFER, SCANLON, ROSS, O'PAKE, GURZENDA, SWEENEY, ORLANDO, SCHAEFER, EARLY, HOLL, MELLOW, LEWIS, COPPERSMITH, NOLAN, STOUT, ARLENE AND NOSZKA, NOVEMBER 16, 1977
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, NOVEMBER 16, 1977
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," providing for diagnostic and 6 evaluative psychological services for the benefit of children 7 attending nonpublic schools in the Commonwealth. 8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 9 hereby enacts as follows: 10 Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known 11 as the "Public School Code of 1949," is amended by adding a 12 section to read: 13 Section 923.1-A. Psychological Services.--(a) Legislative 14 Finding; Declaration of Policy. It is today recognized that 15 diagnostic and evaluative psychological services to children are 16 closely related to their physical, mental and emotional health. 17 Such services can best be rendered upon the premises of the 18 school which the child regularly attends, and forcing children 19 to go to other premises in order to have such needed services is
1 found by the General Assembly to be both inadequate and harmful. 2 The General Assembly expressly finds and declares diagnostic and 3 evaluative psychological services for children to be health 4 services, and it is the intention of the General Assembly now to 5 make these available, on a general and even handed basis, to all 6 school children in the Commonwealth. 7 (b) Definitions.--The following terms, whenever used or 8 referred to in this section, shall have the following meanings, 9 except in those circumstances where the context clearly 10 indicates otherwise: 11 "Nonpublic school" means any nonprofit school, other than a 12 public school within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, wherein a 13 resident of the Commonwealth may legally fulfill the compulsory 14 school attendance requirements and which meets the requirements 15 of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public Law 88-352). 16 "Psychological services" means diagnostic and evaluative 17 psychological services for children. 18 (c) Provision of Services.--The Secretary of Education 19 directly, or through the intermediate units out of their 20 allocation under section 922.1-A of this act shall have the 21 power and duty to furnish free to nonpublic school students, 22 upon the premises of the nonpublic schools which they regularly 23 attend, psychological services provided that such services are 24 also afforded to public school students by the public school 25 district in which such nonpublic school is located. 26 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately. J12L26JS/19770S1204B1464 - 2 -