PRINTER'S NO. 2050
No. 1611 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY McCALL, JUNE 21, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 21, 2007
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 the use of annual
6 accountability grants for academic enrichment services for
7 students participating in after school programs.
8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10 Section 1. Section 2599.2(b) of the act of March 10, 1949
11 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
12 amended July 13, 2005 (P.L.226, No.46), is amended to read:
13 Section 2599.2. Pennsylvania Accountability Grants.--* * *
14 (b) The grant shall be used by a school district to attain
15 or maintain academic performance targets. Funds obtained under
16 this section may be used for any of the following:
17 (1) Establishing, maintaining or expanding a quality pre-
18 kindergarten program aligned with the current academic standards
19 contained in 22 Pa. Code Ch. 4 (relating to academic standards
20 and assessment).
1 (2) Establishing, maintaining or expanding a quality full-
2 day kindergarten program aligned with the current academic
3 standards contained in 22 Pa. Code Ch. 4. Such programs shall be
4 kept open for five hours each day for the full school term as
5 provided in section 1501. The board of school directors of a
6 school district may offer a full-day kindergarten program to
7 children who are between four and six years old.
8 (3) Establishing, maintaining or expanding a class size
9 reduction program. Such class size reduction program shall
10 appoint and assign a minimum of one teacher for every 17
11 students or two teachers for every 35 students enrolled in a
12 kindergarten, first, second or third grade classroom. All
13 teachers appointed and assigned to teach kindergarten, first,
14 second or third grade shall be certified in accordance with 22
15 Pa. Code Ch. 49 (relating to certification of professional
16 personnel) or its successors. The department shall establish
17 guidelines to assure that no school district satisfies the
18 requirements of this paragraph by making a reduction in, and
19 subsequent increase to, current teacher complement. For purposes
20 of this paragraph, the phrase "one teacher for every 17 students
21 or two teachers for every 35 students enrolled in a
22 kindergarten, first, second or third grade classroom" shall
23 refer to the number of teachers conducting a class at any one
24 time in a classroom containing the applicable number of
25 students.
26 (4) Establishing, expanding or maintaining programs that
27 promote the availability, coordination, integration and
28 utilization of social and health services, associated resources
29 and ancillary resources to meet the needs of children and
30 families in addressing issues that may serve to limit student
20070H1611B2050 - 2 -
1 academic achievement.
2 (5) Notwithstanding the provisions of Article XV-C,
3 providing tutoring assistance during the normal school day and
4 hours of the school district, provided that the tutoring is in
5 addition to and does not interfere with a student's regularly
6 scheduled classroom instruction times and does not supplant
7 services required in a student's individualized education
8 program.
9 (6) Improving the academic performance of subgroups
10 identified under section 1111(b) of the No Child Left Behind Act
11 of 2001.
12 (7) Establishing, expanding or maintaining programs to
13 assist in the building of strong science and applied-knowledge
14 skills.
15 (8) Providing additional programs for continuing
16 professional education that may include any of the following:
17 training in mathematics, science and literacy-specific
18 curriculum and instructional strategies; training in school-wide
19 improvement planning; analysis of student achievement data,
20 including student work and the implications for classroom
21 practice; observing and studying exemplary school and classroom
22 practices; implementing school-wide programs and classroom
23 management strategies designed to improve student conduct; using
24 technology to boost student achievement; conducting transition
25 planning and curriculum alignment across schools and grade
26 levels; or implementing secondary strategies to increase student
27 engagement and personalize learning.
28 (9) Establishing, expanding or maintaining math and literacy
29 coaching programs within schools to improve math and reading
30 instruction.
20070H1611B2050 - 3 -
1 (10) Providing financial incentives to highly qualified,
2 tenured teachers to work in the most academically challenged
3 schools in a school district or providing financial incentives
4 to aid in the recruitment of certificated teachers in
5 mathematics, science, language arts or English as a second
6 language to work in the most academically challenged schools in
7 a school district.
8 (10.1) Establish, expand or maintain academic enrichment
9 services for children who participate in an after school program
10 run by the local school district or in cooperation with a local
11 institution of higher education.
12 (11) Providing such other programs or activities that the
13 board of school directors of a school district determines are
14 essential to achieving or maintaining academic performance
15 targets through the year 2014.
16 * * *
17 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
E31L24RZ/20070H1611B2050 - 4 -