PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1017 PRINTER'S NO. 1455
No. 894 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY SAYLOR, STAIRS, GRUCELA, FLEAGLE, HERMAN,
R. MILLER, O'NEILL, SCAVELLO, SHANER, T. STEVENSON, BALDWIN,
BELARDI, BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF, BOYD, BUNT, BUXTON,
CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CLYMER, CRAHALLA, DALEY, DALLY,
DENLINGER, DeWEESE, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, GEIST, GEORGE,
GERGELY, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GOOD, GOODMAN, HARHAI, HARRIS,
HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, HUTCHINSON, JAMES,
KAUFFMAN, M. KELLER, KILLION, KOTIK, LEDERER, LESCOVITZ,
LEVDANSKY, MARKOSEK, MILLARD, S. MILLER, MUSTIO, NAILOR,
NICKOL, PETRARCA, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, PISTELLA, RAPP,
READSHAW, REICHLEY, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SATHER, SCHRODER,
B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STEIL, STERN, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR,
TIGUE, WASHINGTON, WATSON, WILT, YEWCIC, PYLE AND THOMAS,
MARCH 14, 2005
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MARCH 30, 2005
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 program of
6 continuing professional development.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 1205.2(f) of the act of March 10, 1949
10 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, added
11 November 23, 1999 (P.L.529, No.48), is amended and the section
12 is amended by adding a subsection to read:
13 Section 1205.2. Program of Continuing Professional
1 Education.--* * *
2 (f) The department shall annually provide a minimum of forty
3 (40) hours of continuing professional education courses,
4 programs, activities or learning experiences at no charge to
5 professional educators [employed by a school entity]. In
6 providing these courses, the department shall seek to use the
7 most efficient and cost-effective means possible, including the
8 use of advanced technology such as CD-ROM, the Internet and
9 distance communication.
10 * * *
11 (k.1) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a)
12 and (k), the certificate of a professional educator who is an
13 annuitant as defined in 24 Pa.C.S. § 8102 (relating to
14 definitions) or 71 Pa.C.S. § 5102 (relating to definitions)
15 shall be considered active for so long as the professional
16 educator is an annuitant, except as otherwise provided in this
17 subsection.
18 (2) For a professional educator annuitant who terminates the
19 annuity or returns to school service under the provisions of 24
20 Pa.C.S. § 8346(b) (relating to termination of annuities) or
21 whose annuity ceases under the provisions of 24 Pa.C.S. §
22 8346(b), the requirements of subsection (a) shall not apply for
23 the first one hundred eighty (180) days for which the
24 professional educator annuitant returns to school service.
25 (3) A professional educator annuitant who has returned to
26 school service and who continues in school service for more than
27 one hundred eighty (180) days shall fulfill the requirements of
28 subsection (a) beginning with the one hundred eighty-first day
29 for which the professional educator has returned to school
30 service. Such professional educator shall have the same number
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1 of hours of continuing professional education and the same
2 amount of time to complete those hours as existed for the
3 professional educator at the time the professional educator
4 became an annuitant: Provided, that any collegiate studies,
5 continuing professional education courses, or other programs,
6 activities or learning experiences completed by a professional
7 educator annuitant during the one hundred eighty (180) days for
8 which the requirements of subsection (a) are not applicable
9 under paragraph (2) shall be added to the number of hours of
10 continuing professional education the professional educator had
11 at the time the professional educator became an annuitant.
12 (4) The department shall promulgate a standard pursuant to
13 the act of June 25, 1982 (P.L.633, No.181), known as the
14 "Regulatory Review Act," requiring school entities to report the
15 employment of professional educator annuitants subject to 24
16 Pa.C.S. § 8346(b) and this subsection.
17 (5) The Public School Employees' Retirement System <--
18 established pursuant to 24 Pa.C.S. Pt. IV (relating to
19 retirement for school employees) shall adopt guidelines
20 requiring school entities to report the employment under this
21 subsection of annuitants subject to 24 Pa.C.S. § 8346(b).
22 * * *
23 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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