PRINTER'S NO. 19
No. 154 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY RHOADES, RAFFERTY, GORDNER, BOSCOLA, STACK, STOUT, ERICKSON, WAUGH, GREENLEAF, KASUNIC, COSTA, WASHINGTON, WOZNIAK AND PILEGGI, JANUARY 29, 2007
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JANUARY 29, 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," further providing for continuing 6 professional development and for program of continuing 7 professional education. 8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 9 hereby enacts as follows: 10 Section 1. Section 1205.1(c.1) of the act of March 10, 1949 11 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, 12 amended July 11, 2006 (P.L.1092, No.114), is amended and the 13 section is amended by adding a subsection to read: 14 Section 1205.1. Continuing Professional Development.--* * * 15 (c.1) The continuing professional education plan shall 16 specify the professional education needs that will be met by 17 completion of each continuing professional education option and 18 how it relates to areas of assignment and certification or 19 potential administrative certification. The options may include, 20 but shall not be limited to:
1 (1) Collegiate studies. 2 (2) Continuing professional education courses taken for 3 credit. 4 (3) Other programs, activities or learning experiences taken 5 for credit or hourly, to include: 6 (i) curriculum development and other program design and 7 delivery activities at the school entity or grade level as 8 determined by the school entity and approved by the board of 9 directors; 10 (ii) participation in professional conferences and 11 workshops; 12 (iii) education in the workplace, where the work relates to 13 the professional educator's area of assignment and is approved 14 by the board of directors; 15 (iv) review, redesign and restructuring of school programs, 16 organizations and functions as determined by the school entity 17 and approved by the board of directors; 18 (v) in-service programs that comply with guidelines 19 established by the department; 20 (vi) early childhood and child development activities for 21 professional educators whose area of assignment includes 22 kindergarten through third grade; 23 (vii) special education activities for professional 24 educators whose area of assignment includes students with 25 special needs; 26 (viii) successful completion of department training for 27 service as a Distinguished Educator if the professional educator 28 participates in and completes at least one assignment in the 29 Distinguished Educators Program; [or] 30 (ix) other continuing professional education courses, 20070S0154B0019 - 2 -
1 programs, activities or learning experiences sponsored by the 2 department[.]; or 3 (x) programs, activities or learning experiences accessed 4 through the clearinghouse established by the department under 5 section 1205.2(f). 6 * * * 7 (c.5) A school entity in which one or more schools have been 8 identified for warning, school improvement or corrective action 9 shall convene the committee for the purpose of amending its 10 professional education plan as set forth in subsection (b). The 11 amended professional education plan shall specify continuing 12 professional education options designed to assist in the 13 attainment of academic performance targets. Such options may 14 include: 15 (1) methods of improving the academic performance of 16 students in any subject area in which a school or schools has 17 failed to meet the academic performance target; 18 (2) methods of improving the academic performance of 19 students identified as: 20 (i) economically disadvantaged; 21 (ii) members of a major racial and ethnic group; 22 (iii) a student with a disability; or 23 (iv) limited English proficient; and 24 (3) training for educational advisors and instructional 25 coaches in any subject area for which an academic performance 26 target has been established. 27 * * * 28 Section 2. Section 1205.2(f) of the act, amended February 2, 29 2006 (P.L.19, No.5), is amended to read: 30 Section 1205.2. Program of Continuing Professional 20070S0154B0019 - 3 -
1 Education.--* * * 2 (f) [The department shall annually] In order to assist 3 school entities and professional educators in the satisfactory 4 completion of the continuing professional education program, the 5 department shall do all of the following: 6 (1) Annually provide a minimum of forty (40) hours of 7 continuing professional education courses, programs, activities 8 or learning experiences at no charge to professional educators. 9 In providing these courses, the department shall seek to use the 10 most efficient and cost-effective means possible, including the 11 use of advanced technology such as CD-ROM, the Internet and 12 distance communication. 13 (2) Establish a clearinghouse of continuing professional 14 education programs, activities or learning experiences for use 15 by school entities to fulfill the requirements of section 16 1205.2(c)(4)(iii). The programs, activities or learning 17 experiences shall be cataloged by area of assignment, area of 18 certification and topic and shall be provided to a school entity 19 upon request. 20 (3) Establish a clearinghouse of continuing professional 21 education programs, activities or learning experiences for use 22 by school entities that have amended their professional 23 education plans pursuant to section 1205.1(c.5). The programs, 24 activities or learning experiences shall be cataloged by area of 25 assignment, area of certification and topic and shall be 26 provided to a school entity upon request. Programs, activities 27 or learning experiences under this clause shall include: 28 (i) methods of improving the academic performance of 29 students in any subject area for which an academic performance 30 target has been established; 20070S0154B0019 - 4 -
1 (ii) methods of improving the academic performance of 2 students identified as: 3 (A) economically disadvantaged; 4 (B) members of a major racial and ethnic group; 5 (C) a student with a disability; or 6 (D) as limited English proficient; and 7 (iii) training for educational advisors and instructional 8 coaches in the subject areas of reading and mathematics. 9 * * * 10 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days. A9L24DMS/20070S0154B0019 - 5 -