THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY BURNS, BEYER, BROWN, D. COSTA, GIBBONS, GRUCELA, HALUSKA, JOSEPHS, KIRKLAND, KORTZ, McGEEHAN, MURT, M. O'BRIEN, SIPTROTH, STABACK, STURLA, WATERS, YUDICHAK, YOUNGBLOOD, BRIGGS AND BRADFORD, MARCH 3, 2009

AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MARCH 10, 2010   

AN ACT

Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An

act relating to the public school system, including certain

provisions applicable as well to private and parochial

schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the

laws relating thereto," establishing parent involvement

programs and policies in school districts and the school

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health services task force.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known

as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a 

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section sections to read:

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Section 528.  Parent Involvement Programs and Policies.--(a)

The board of school directors in a school district of the first

class, first class A, second class, third class or fourth class

shall establish a parent involvement program, parent involvement

policy and parent involvement committee. No school entity shall

be required to establish a new program or policy under this

section if one currently exists and reasonably fulfills the

requirements of this section.

(b)  A parent involvement program established by a board of

school directors shall include the following:

(1)  Identification of existing resources, activities or

materials in the school district that may be used by parents to

improve the academic achievement of students in the school

district.

(2)  Identification of existing resources, activities or

materials in the school district that may be used by parents to

improve or supplement techniques used by parents at home to

support and improve the academic achievement of students in the

school district.

(3)  Identification of a districtwide system of communicating

information between parents and school officials regarding the

curriculum, academic goals and strategic plan of the school

district.

(4)  Identification of any supplemental academic services

available to students whose score on any Pennsylvania System of

School Assessment test is below proficient.

(5)  Identification of any mechanism through which parents

can provide recommendations to the board of school directors

regarding programs that may improve the academic achievement of

students in the school district.

(6)  Identification of any mechanism through which the school

district can provide information to parents regarding resources,

activities or materials in the school district that may be used

by parents to improve the academic achievement of their

students.

(c)  A parent involvement policy established by a board of

school directors shall include the following:

(1)  Identification of goals and objectives for the

involvement of parents in the improvement of the academic

achievement of students in the school district.

(2)  Identification of specific strategies to meet the goals

and objectives required under paragraph (1).

(3)  Explanation of the resources, activities, materials and

mechanisms identified in the parent involvement program.

(4)  Explanation of the role of the parent involvement

committee established under subsection (d).

(d)  A parent involvement committee established by a board of

school directors shall consist of parents of students enrolled

in the school district and shall be responsible for providing

the board of school directors with recommendations on the school

district's parent involvement program and parent involvement

policy. If a school district currently has established a

committee of parents that makes recommendations on school

policies, the board of school directors may utilize that

committee to meet the requirements of this subsection.

(e)  A board of school directors shall provide for the

publication and dissemination of information related to the

school district's parent involvement program and parent

involvement policy. The board of school directors shall:

(1)  Make Provide a copy of the parental involvement policy

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available on its publicly accessible Internet website, if

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available to the parent or guardian of each student enrolled in

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the district.

(2)  Make copies of the parent involvement program and parent

involvement policy available for inspection in the

administrative office of the school district and provide copies

upon request.

(3)  Provide copies of the parent involvement program and

parent involvement policy to the Department of Education no

later than sixty (60) days from the effective date of this

section.

Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 180 days.

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Section 1424.  School Health Services Task Force.--(a)  The

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General Assembly finds that:

(1)  School health personnel deliver valuable services that

address the physical, mental, emotional and social health of

their students.

(2)  The ways and means by which those health services are

provided vary across school districts and regions across this

Commonwealth.

(3)  While student health issues are increasing in

complexity, earlier this decade the number of school nurse

certificates issued by the Department of Education showed a

trend to decline, and State subsidies for school district health

services have remained relatively flat over the past five years.

(4)  Studies project a shortage of registered nurses in

Pennsylvania and nationally, school districts face numerous

challenges in providing health services to students.

(b)  (1)  There is established a task force on school health

services. The task force shall consist of ten members composed

of the following individuals:

(i)  Two members of the Senate, one each to be chosen by the

President pro tempore and the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(ii)  Two members of the House of Representatives, one each

chosen by the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the

House of Representatives.

(iii)  One member chosen by the Secretary of Education from

among persons recommended by the Department of Education.

(iv)  One representative from each of the following:

(A)  An organization representing school nurses.

(B)  An organization representing school board directors.

(C)  An organization representing school administrators.

(D)  An organization representing school business officials.

(E)  An organization representing school principals.

(2)  The members shall be appointed within thirty days of the

effective date of this section. Names shall be furnished to the

Secretary of Education. A majority of the members of the task

force shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Official action by the task force shall require the approval of

a majority of the members of the task force. The task force

shall elect one of its members to serve as chairperson. If there

is a vacancy for any cause, a replacement shall be appointed in

the same way with the same qualifications as set forth in this

section and shall hold office for the unexpired portion of the

term. Members of the task force shall not be entitled to

compensation or reimbursement and shall serve as volunteers on

the task force.

(3)  The task force shall convene no later than sixty days

after the effective date of this section. The task force is

authorized to hold hearings, take testimony and make its

investigations at such places in this Commonwealth as it deems

necessary. The task force shall meet at such times and places

specified by the call of the chairperson or of a majority of the

members of the task force. In undertaking its investigations

regarding school health services, the task force shall do all of

the following:

(i)  Adopt rules necessary for the operation of the task

force.

(ii)  Meet and conduct hearings with representatives of the

public school districts of this Commonwealth, including, but not

limited to, school administrators and school health providers,

school board members, representatives of the Department of

Education and the Department of Health and other health

officials and medical professionals.

(iii)  Identify, evaluate and make recommendations on topics

involved with school health care, including, but not limited to,

the following:

(A)  The number of school nurse certifications issued

annually by the Department of Education over the last ten years.

(B)  The number of waivers and emergency certification

permits issued for school nurses annually by the Department of

Education over the last ten years, both across this Commonwealth

and by region.

(C)  The number of other school health personnel employed

over the last ten years by districts under Article XIV.

(D)  The cost of delivering school health services mandated

by law and as otherwise provided by the district.

(E)  Availability and coordination of Federal and State

funding for school nurse services.

(F)  Best practices to improve school health services in this

Commonwealth's public schools.

(G)  Alternative health care services, programs and staffing

options that could assist school districts in offering a

flexible and comprehensive delivery of school health services in

this Commonwealth's public schools.

(iv)  Make and transmit a report of its activities, findings

and recommendations, including possible legislation, to the

chairperson of the Public Health and Welfare Committee of the

Senate, the chairperson of the Education Committee of the

Senate, the chairperson of the Health and Human Services

Committee of the House of Representatives and the chairperson of

the Education Committee of the House of Representatives within

one year of the task force's first meeting.

(c)  The Department of Education and the Department of Health

shall provide staff support to the task force.

(d)  The task force shall cease to exist upon the receipt by

all four committee chairpersons of the task force's report as

described in subsection (b)(3)(iii)(D), unless it is

reestablished by action of the General Assembly.

(e)  As used in this section--

"School Nurse" shall have the same meaning as under section

1401.

"Task force" means the task force on school health services

established under this section.

Section 2.  This act shall take effect as follows:

(1)  The addition of section 528 of the act shall take

effect in 180 days.

(2)  The addition of section 1424 of the act shall take

effect in 60 days.

(3)  This section shall take effect immediately.