PRINTER'S NO.  862

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

SENATE BILL

 

No.

766

Session of

2009

  

  

INTRODUCED BY ROBBINS, TARTAGLIONE, SCARNATI, PICCOLA, ALLOWAY, BAKER, BOSCOLA, BROWNE, BRUBAKER, EARLL, EICHELBERGER, ERICKSON, FARNESE, FERLO, FONTANA, GORDNER, GREENLEAF, LOGAN, O'PAKE, ORIE, RAFFERTY, STOUT, TOMLINSON, M. WHITE, WILLIAMS, YAW AND KITCHEN, APRIL 3, 2009

  

  

REFERRED TO EDUCATION, APRIL 3, 2009  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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

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act relating to the public school system, including certain

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provisions applicable as well to private and parochial

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schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the

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laws relating thereto," establishing the Science Technology

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Partnership Program; and providing for State grants.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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

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

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article to read:

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ARTICLE XV-F

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SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIPS

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Section 1501-F.  Scope.

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This article relates to science technology partnerships.

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Section 1502-F.  Definitions.

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The following words and phrases when used in this article

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shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

 


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context clearly indicates otherwise:

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"Department."  The Department of Education of the

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Commonwealth.

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"Higher education institution."  Any public or private two-

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year or four-year or higher postsecondary institution in this

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Commonwealth that has been accredited at the college level by an

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accrediting agency recognized by the United States Secretary of

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Education.

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"Nonpublic school."  A school, other than a public school

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within this Commonwealth, wherein a resident of this

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Commonwealth may legally fulfill the compulsory school

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attendance requirements of this act and which meets the

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requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public

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Law 88-352, 78 Stat. 241).

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"Program."  The Science Technology Partnership Program

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established in section 1503-F.

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"Public school."  Any school owned or operated by a public

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school district established under this act, including any school

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established pursuant to Article XVII-A.

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"School."  A public or nonpublic school.

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"Science technology partnership" or "partnership."  A science

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technology partnership established under section 1504-F.

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"Scientific or technical equipment."  Technical or electronic

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equipment used in teaching science courses, including laboratory

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equipment. The equipment may include equipment that is not

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routinely used in the teaching of science but that is commonly

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used in the workplace and the fields of health, environment,

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scientific research, biology, chemistry, geology or other earth

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sciences, physics or any other scientific field.

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"Secretary."  The Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth.

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Section 1503-F.  Science Technology Partnership Program.

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(a)  Establishment.--The Science Technology Partnership

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Program is hereby established. The purpose of the program shall

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be to improve science education in schools and school districts

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that are members of science technology partnerships by:

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(1)  Making scientific or technical equipment available

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to students.

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(2)  Augmenting the science curriculum.

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(3)  Providing additional professional development

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opportunities to educators in the sciences.

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(b)  Administration.--The department shall administer a grant

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program that awards grants to qualified higher education

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institutions that are members of the science technology

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partnerships.

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(c)  Criteria for funding.--To implement the program, the

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department shall request proposals from higher education

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institutions that are members of science technology

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partnerships. To receive a grant under subsection (d), an

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institution must meet all of the following criteria:

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(1)  Have established a partnership consistent with the

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requirements of section 1504-F and provided a copy of the

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partnership agreement to the department.

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(2)  Demonstrate how the partnership will make science

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technology equipment available to students enrolled in

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schools that are partnership members.

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(3)  Demonstrate how the partnership will augment the

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science curriculum of schools that are partnership members.

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(4)  Demonstrate how the partnership will provide

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additional professional development opportunities to

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educators employed by schools or school districts that are

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partnership members.

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(5)  Have adopted a proposed budget describing the

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scientific and technical equipment that will be purchased or

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leased with grant funds.

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(d)  Grant awards.--The department shall award grants to

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higher education institutions that meet the criteria for funding

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under subsection (c). Grants shall be used for the purchase or

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lease of scientific or technical equipment and for the

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development of programs of instruction for members of a

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partnership.

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Section 1504-F.  Science technology partnerships.

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(a)  Establishment.--A higher education institution may form

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a partnership with schools or school districts and may

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subcontract with a nonprofit organization in order to implement

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the partnership agreement under subsection (b). A partnership

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must include a minimum of three public schools or school

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districts.

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(b)  Partnership agreement.--The higher education institution

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and the schools or school districts shall enter into a written

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agreement defining the responsibilities of the partnership

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members. The agreement shall include all of the following:

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(1)  The responsibilities of the higher education

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institution in providing services to each partnership member.

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(2)  The responsibilities of the schools or school

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districts in coordinating with the higher education

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institution.

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(3)  A description of the scientific or technical

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equipment that will be provided to each partnership member.

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(4)  A description of the program of instruction that

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will be provided to each partnership member by the higher

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education institution.

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(5)  The courses of science instruction and grade levels

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that will be augmented by scientific or technical equipment

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through the partnership and how scientific or technical

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equipment will be used to augment such courses of

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instruction.

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(6)  The manner in which access to scientific or

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technical equipment will be provided to students and

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teachers.

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(7)  The professional development activities that will be

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provided to science teachers employed by partnership members.

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(c)  Forward to department.--To be eligible to participate in

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the program, a partnership must forward a certified copy of its

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partnership agreement to the department.

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Section 1505-F.  Powers and duties of department.

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The department shall promulgate rules, regulations and

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procedures necessary to implement the program.

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Section 1506-F.  Annual report.

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The secretary shall annually submit a report on the program

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to the Governor, the chairman and minority chairman of the

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Education Committee of the Senate and the chairman and minority

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chairman of the Education Committee of the House of

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Representatives. The report shall include all of the following

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information:

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(1)  A description of the types of the partnerships

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created.

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(2)  The number of higher education institutions, schools

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and school districts participating in the program as members

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of the partnerships.

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(3)  The number of students participating in the program.

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(4)  The dollar amount of grants awarded to each higher 

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education institution and a summary of the institution's

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expenditures on services related to the partnership.

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(5)  An assessment of the impact of the program on the

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scientific knowledge of students participating in the

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program.

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Section 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.

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