SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1017, 1455, 1912, PRINTER'S NO. 2133
1963
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, THOMAS, TURZAI
AND COSTA, MARCH 14, 2005
SENATOR RHOADES, EDUCATION, IN SENATE, AS AMENDED, JUNE 8, 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) and the definition of "approved <--
10 provider" in subsection (o) of the act of March 10, 1949
11 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, added
12 November 23, 1999 (P.L.529, No.48), are amended and the section
13 is amended by adding subsections to read:
1 SECTION 1. SECTION 1205.2(F) OF THE ACT OF MARCH 10, 1949 <--
2 (P.L.30, NO.14), KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949, ADDED
3 NOVEMBER 23, 1999 (P.L.529, NO.48), IS AMENDED AND THE SECTION
4 IS AMENDED BY ADDING A SUBSECTION TO READ:
5 Section 1205.2. Program of Continuing Professional
6 Education.--* * *
7 (d.1) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an <--
8 institution of higher education may provide continuing
9 professional education credits or hours to professional
10 educators who are members of the faculty of that institution of
11 higher education.
12 (2) An institution of higher education that has not
13 submitted a professional education plan by the effective date of
14 this paragraph may submit within two years of the effective date
15 of this paragraph a three-year professional education plan to
16 the Secretary of Education for approval.
17 * * *
18 (f) The department shall annually provide a minimum of forty
19 (40) hours of continuing professional education courses,
20 programs, activities or learning experiences at no charge to
21 professional educators [employed by a school entity]. In
22 providing these courses, the department shall seek to use the
23 most efficient and cost-effective means possible, including the
24 use of advanced technology such as CD-ROM, the Internet and
25 distance communication.
26 * * *
27 (k.1) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a)
28 and (k), the certificate of a professional educator who is an
29 annuitant as defined in 24 Pa.C.S. § 8102 (relating to
30 definitions) or 71 Pa.C.S. § 5102 (relating to definitions)
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1 shall be considered active for so long as the professional
2 educator is an annuitant, except as otherwise provided in this
3 subsection.
4 (2) For a professional educator annuitant who terminates the
5 annuity or whose annuity ceases under the provisions of 24
6 Pa.C.S. § 8346(a) (relating to termination of annuities) or
7 returns to school service under the provisions of 24 Pa.C.S. §
8 8346(b), the requirements of subsection (a) shall not apply for
9 the first 180 days for which the professional educator annuitant
10 returns to school service.
11 (3) A professional educator annuitant who has returned to
12 school service and who continues in school service for more than
13 one hundred eighty (180) days shall fulfill the requirements of
14 subsection (a) beginning with the one hundred eighty-first day
15 for which the professional educator has returned to school
16 service. Such professional educator shall have the same number
17 of hours of continuing professional education and the same
18 amount of time to complete those hours as existed for the
19 professional educator at the time the professional educator
20 became an annuitant: Provided, that any collegiate studies,
21 continuing professional education courses, or other programs,
22 activities or learning experiences completed by a professional
23 educator annuitant during the one hundred eighty (180) days for
24 which the requirements of subsection (a) are not applicable
25 under paragraph (2) shall be added to the number of hours of
26 continuing professional education the professional educator had
27 at the time the professional educator became an annuitant.
28 (4) The department shall promulgate a standard pursuant to
29 the act of June 25, 1982 (P.L.633, No.181), known as the
30 "Regulatory Review Act," requiring school entities to report to
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1 the department the employment of professional educator
2 annuitants subject to 24 Pa.C.S. § 8346(b) and this subsection.
3 * * *
4 (o) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following <--
5 words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
6 subsection:
7 "Approved provider" is an institution of higher education,
8 school entity, individual, corporation, partnership, limited
9 liability company or association approved by the department to
10 provide continuing professional education credits or hours under
11 this section. Provided, a school entity or an institution of
12 higher education may approve a provider of continuing
13 professional education credits or hours in accordance with
14 department guidelines.
15 * * *
16 Section 2. All acts and parts of acts are repealed insofar
17 as they are inconsistent with the following:
18 (1) The addition of section 1205.2 (d.1) of the act.
19 (2) The amendment of the definition of "approved
20 provider" in section 1205.2(o) of the act.
21 Section 3 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. <--
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