SENATE AMENDED
        PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 894, 3298, 3381,         PRINTER'S NO. 3938
        3391, 3864

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 821 Session of 1979


        INTRODUCED BY MR. LEVI, MRS. HONAMAN, MESSRS. KLINGAMAN, GEIST
           AND MACKOWSKI, MARCH 26, 1979

        AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, IN SENATE, SEPTEMBER 23, 1980

                                     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 qualifications
     6     for the office of school director; FURTHER PROVIDING FOR       <--
     7     INTERMEDIATE DIRECTORS; INCREASING CERTAIN AUTHORIZED
     8     ACQUISITION ALLOWANCES CONCERNING TEXTBOOKS FOR NONPUBLIC
     9     SCHOOL CHILDREN, RESIDENCY OF SCHOOL EMPLOYES, THE GRADUATION
    10     OF QUALIFIED STUDENTS AND FOR PAYMENT OF REIMBURSEMENT DURING
    11     CERTAIN EMERGENCIES.

    12     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    13  hereby enacts as follows:
    14     Section 1.  Section 322, SECTIONS 322, 910-A(A), 923-A(D),     <--
    15  1106, 1501 AND 2523, act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14),
    16  known as the "Public School Code of 1949," amended June 16, 1972  <--
    17  (P.L.449, No.138), is SECTION 322 AMENDED FEBRUARY 8, 1980        <--
    18  (NO.2), SECTION 910-A(A) AMENDED APRIL 6, 1980 (NO.30), SECTION   <--
    19  923-A(D) AMENDED AUGUST 24, 1977 (P.L.199, NO.59), SECTION 1501
    20  AMENDED SEPTEMBER 21, 1959 (P.L.925, NO.373), AND SECTION 2523
    21  AMENDED JANUARY 14, 1970 (1969 P.L.468, NO.192), ARE amended to


     1  read:
     2     Section 322.  Eligibility; Incompatible Offices.--Any citizen
     3  of this Commonwealth, having a good moral character, being
     4  eighteen (18) years of age or upwards, being a registered
     5  elector, and having been a resident of the district for at least
     6  one (1) year prior to the date of his election or appointment,
     7  shall be eligible to the office of school director therein:
     8  Provided, That any person holding any office or position of
     9  profit under the government of any city of the first class, or
    10  the office of mayor, chief burgess, county commissioner,
    11  district attorney, city, borough, or township treasurer, member
    12  of council in any municipality, township commissioner, township
    13  supervisor, tax collector, assessor, assistant assessor, any
    14  comptroller, auditor, constable, executive director or assistant
    15  executive director of an intermediate unit, supervisor,
    16  principal, teacher, or employe of any school district, shall not
    17  be eligible as a school director in this Commonwealth. This
    18  section shall not prevent any district superintendent, assistant
    19  district superintendent, supervisor, teacher, or employe of any
    20  school district, from being a school director in a district
    21  other than the one in which he is so employed, and other than in
    22  a district with which the district in which he is employed
    23  operates a joint school or department: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT A  <--
    24  JOINT SCHOOL OR DEPARTMENT DOES NOT INCLUDE A VOCATIONAL SCHOOL,
    25  INTERMEDIATE UNIT OR COMMUNITY COLLEGE: AND PROVIDED FURTHER,
    26  THAT A SCHOOL DIRECTOR WHO IS A SUPERVISOR, PRINCIPAL, TEACHER
    27  OR EMPLOYE OF A VOCATIONAL SCHOOL, INTERMEDIATE UNIT OR
    28  COMMUNITY COLLEGE SHALL NOT SERVE AS A MEMBER OF A BOARD OF THE
    29  VOCATIONAL SCHOOL, INTERMEDIATE UNIT OR COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN
    30  WHICH HE IS A SUPERVISOR, PRINCIPAL, TEACHER OR EMPLOYE. A
    19790H0821B3938                  - 2 -

     1  school director shall not be eligible to the office of member of
     2  council in any municipality.
     3     SECTION 910-A.  INTERMEDIATE UNIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.--(A)     <--
     4  THE INTERMEDIATE UNIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS SHALL BE COMPOSED OF
     5  THIRTEEN MEMBERS EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR IN THIS
     6  SUBSECTION, CHOSEN FOR TERMS OF THREE YEARS FROM AMONG MEMBERS
     7  OF THE BOARDS OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMPRISING
     8  THE INTERMEDIATE UNIT. AN INTERMEDIATE UNIT DIRECTOR MAY SUCCEED
     9  HIMSELF WITHOUT LIMITATION AS TO THE NUMBER OF TERMS. [AT NO
    10  TIME SHALL MORE THAN ONE DIRECTOR FROM ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT BE
    11  ELECTED TO AN INTERMEDIATE UNIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.] WHERE THERE
    12  ARE FEWER THAN THIRTEEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN AN INTERMEDIATE
    13  UNIT, THERE SHALL BE ONE SCHOOL DIRECTOR FROM EACH SCHOOL
    14  DISTRICT ELECTED TO THE INTERMEDIATE UNIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
    15  BUT ANY SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT INTERMEDIATE UNIT BOARD OF           <--
    16  DIRECTORS MAY ELECT ONE ADDITIONAL AT-LARGE MEMBER. WHEN THERE
    17  ARE MORE THAN THIRTEEN DISTRICTS IN AN INTERMEDIATE UNIT EACH
    18  DISTRICT, AS FAR AS PRACTICABLE, MAY HAVE ONE MEMBER ON THE UNIT
    19  BOARD, UP TO A MAXIMUM OF TWENTY MEMBERS. THE ELECTION OF
    20  INTERMEDIATE UNIT BOARDS OF DIRECTORS SHALL BE BY PROPORTIONATE
    21  BALLOT, AND EACH SCHOOL DIRECTOR OF EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT WITHIN
    22  AN INTERMEDIATE UNIT SHALL BE ENTITLED TO CAST VOTES DETERMINED
    23  BY DIVIDING THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP OF THE SCHOOL
    24  DISTRICT BY THE TOTAL WEIGHTED AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP WITHIN
    25  THE INTERMEDIATE UNIT, MULTIPLYING THE QUOTIENT SO OBTAINED BY
    26  ONE THOUSAND, DIVIDING THE PRODUCT SO OBTAINED BY THE NUMBER OF
    27  DIRECTORS AS PROVIDED FOR ABOVE, AND ROUNDING SUCH DIVIDEND TO
    28  THE NEAREST WHOLE NUMBER: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT EACH SCHOOL
    29  DIRECTOR SHALL HAVE AT LEAST ONE VOTE. THE SECRETARY OF
    30  EDUCATION SHALL ANNUALLY, NOT LATER THAN THE FIRST DAY OF
    19790H0821B3938                  - 3 -

     1  FEBRUARY, CERTIFY THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP FOR THE
     2  PREVIOUS SCHOOL YEAR FOR EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT AND FOR EACH
     3  INTERMEDIATE UNIT, AND SHALL COMPUTE THE NUMBER OF VOTES TO
     4  WHICH EACH SCHOOL DIRECTOR OF EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT WITHIN AN
     5  INTERMEDIATE UNIT SHALL BE ENTITLED.
     6     * * *
     7     SECTION 923-A.  LOAN OF TEXTBOOKS, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS     <--
     8  AND EQUIPMENT, NONPUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN.--* * *
     9     (D)  PURCHASE OF TEXTBOOKS AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. THE
    10  SECRETARY SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE OR OTHERWISE ACQUIRE
    11  TEXTBOOKS, PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, THE TOTAL COST OF WHICH, IN
    12  ANY SCHOOL YEAR, SHALL EXCEED AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO TWELVE DOLLARS
    13  ($12) FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1973-1974, FIFTEEN DOLLARS ($15) FOR
    14  THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 1974 [AND], [TWENTY DOLLARS     <--
    15  ($20)] FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 1975 AND TWENTY-     <--
    16  SEVEN DOLLARS ($27) FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 1980
    17  AND FOR EACH SCHOOL YEAR THEREAFTER OR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS,
    18  THE TOTAL COST OF WHICH, IN ANY SCHOOL YEAR, SHALL EXCEED AN
    19  AMOUNT EQUAL TO TEN DOLLARS ($10), MULTIPLIED BY THE NUMBER OF
    20  CHILDREN RESIDING IN THE COMMONWEALTH WHO ON THE FIRST DAY OF
    21  OCTOBER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING ARE ENROLLED IN
    22  GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELVE OF A NONPUBLIC SCHOOL.
    23     SECTION 1106.  DUTY TO EMPLOY.--THE BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS
    24  IN EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL EMPLOY THE NECESSARY QUALIFIED
    25  PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYES, SUBSTITUTES AND TEMPORARY PROFESSIONAL
    26  EMPLOYES TO KEEP THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OPEN IN THEIR RESPECTIVE
    27  DISTRICTS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT. NO
    28  SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL REQUIRE THAT ANY EMPLOYE RESIDE WITHIN THE
    29  SCHOOL DISTRICT AS A CONDITION FOR APPOINTMENT OR CONTINUED
    30  EMPLOYMENT. A SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY REQUIRE ITS SCHOOL EMPLOYES TO
    19790H0821B3938                  - 4 -

     1  RESIDE IN PENNSYLVANIA.
     2     SECTION 1501.  MINIMUM NUMBER OF DAYS; SCHOOL MONTH.--ALL
     3  PUBLIC KINDERGARTENS, ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS SHALL BE
     4  KEPT OPEN EACH SCHOOL YEAR FOR AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY (180)
     5  DAYS OF INSTRUCTION FOR PUPILS. NO DAYS ON WHICH THE SCHOOLS ARE
     6  CLOSED SHALL BE COUNTED AS DAYS TAUGHT, AND NO TIME SHALL BE
     7  COUNTED AS A PUPIL SESSION FOR ANY ACTIVITY TO WHICH ADMISSION
     8  IS CHARGED. NO FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1979-1980, NO SCHOOL DISTRICT  <--
     9  SHALL BE REQUIRED TO CHANGE ITS GRADUATION SCHEDULE OR REQUIRE
    10  GRADUATING STUDENTS TO RETURN TO SCHOOL AFTER GRADUATION TO MAKE
    11  UP CLASS DAYS LOST DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS OR FOR
    12  SITUATIONS BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS A RESULT
    13  OF MAJOR CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION TO THE SCHOOL BUILDING. NO   <--
    14  FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1979-1980, NO DISTRICT WHICH MAKES A BONA
    15  FIDE EFFORT AS DETERMINED BY THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION TO
    16  PROVIDE ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY (180) DAYS OF INSTRUCTION FOR
    17  GRADUATING STUDENTS SHALL RECEIVE LESS SUBSIDY PAYMENTS OR
    18  REIMBURSEMENTS THAN IT WOULD OTHERWISE BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE ON
    19  ACCOUNT OF THE SCHOOL YEAR BECAUSE OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
    20  SECTION. UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY THIS ACT, THE BOARD OF
    21  SCHOOL DIRECTORS IN ANY DISTRICT OR JOINT BOARD MAY KEEP SUCH
    22  OTHER SCHOOLS OR DEPARTMENTS AS IT MAY ESTABLISH OPEN DURING
    23  SUCH TIME AS IT MAY DIRECT.
    24     TWENTY DAYS OF ACTUAL TEACHING SHALL CONSTITUTE A SCHOOL
    25  MONTH.
    26     SECTION 2523.  SCHOOLS CLOSED ON ACCOUNT OF CONTAGIOUS
    27  DISEASE, ETC.--WHEN ANY BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS OR
    28  INTERMEDIATE UNIT WITH RESPECT TO AREA TECHNICAL SCHOOLS IS
    29  COMPELLED TO CLOSE ANY SCHOOL OR SCHOOLS ON ACCOUNT OF ANY
    30  CONTAGIOUS DISEASE, [THE DESTRUCTION OR DAMAGE OF A SCHOOL
    19790H0821B3938                  - 5 -

     1  BUILDING BY FIRE OR OTHERWISE,] MAJOR CONSTRUCTION OR RENOVATION
     2  TO A SCHOOL BUILDING, NATURAL DISASTER OR OTHER EMERGENCY, NOT
     3  INCLUDING LABOR DISPUTES INVOLVING SCHOOL EMPLOYES, AND THEREFOR
     4  IS UNABLE TO KEEP SUCH SCHOOL OR SCHOOLS OPEN FOR THE MINIMUM
     5  TERM REQUIRED BY THIS ACT, THE [SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC
     6  INSTRUCTION] SECRETARY OF EDUCATION MAY PAY TO SUCH SCHOOL
     7  DISTRICT OR INTERMEDIATE UNIT ANY OR ALL OF ITS SHARE OF THE
     8  ANNUAL STATE APPROPRIATION AS HE DEEMS PROPER.
     9     Section 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.














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