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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY TALLMAN, COX, GROVE, CLYMER, FLECK, GILLEN, M. K. KELLER, KRIEGER, MILLER, MILNE, MUSTIO, O'NEILL, PICKETT, RAPP, REESE, ROAE, ROCK, SIMMONS AND VULAKOVICH, APRIL 7, 2011 |
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| REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, APRIL 7, 2011 |
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| AN ACT |
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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," in reimbursements by Commonwealth and |
6 | between school districts, further providing for basic |
7 | education funding for student achievement; and repealing |
8 | provisions relating to accountability to Commonwealth |
9 | taxpayers. |
10 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
11 | hereby enacts as follows: |
12 | Section 1. Section 2502.48(c)(2) of the act of March 10, |
13 | 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, |
14 | added July 9, 2008 (P.L.846, No.61), is amended to read: |
15 | Section 2502.48. Basic Education Funding for Student |
16 | Achievement.--* * * |
17 | (c) * * * |
18 | [(2) In furtherance of the General Assembly's long-standing |
19 | commitment to providing adequate funding that will ensure |
20 | equitable State and local investments in public education and in |
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1 | order to enable students to attain applicable Federal and State |
2 | academic standards, it is the goal of this Commonwealth to |
3 | review and meet State funding targets by fiscal year 2013-2014.] |
4 | * * * |
5 | Section 2. Section 2502.49 of the act, added July 9, 2008 |
6 | (P.L.846, No.61), is repealed: |
7 | [Section 2502.49. Accountability to Commonwealth |
8 | Taxpayers.--(a) In any school district where the amount of |
9 | basic education funding allocated pursuant to section 2502.48 |
10 | exceeds the amount of basic education funding allocated to the |
11 | school district in the prior fiscal year by more than the index, |
12 | the board of school directors shall use one hundred percent |
13 | (100%) of the portion of the increase that exceeds the index as |
14 | follows: |
15 | (1) At least eighty percent (80%) of such funds shall be |
16 | used to offer any of the following for the first time or to |
17 | expand any of the following: |
18 | (i) Programs that increase the amount of student |
19 | instructional time, which may include tutoring, an extension of |
20 | the school day or school calendar or intensive support for |
21 | students who have limited English proficiency. |
22 | (ii) Implementation of new curricula or course offerings |
23 | that increase the number of students who graduate from high |
24 | school prepared for college and high-skill careers. |
25 | (iii) Training of professional employes in the delivery of a |
26 | curriculum that increases the number of students who graduate |
27 | from high school prepared for college and high-skill careers, in |
28 | strategies for addressing the learning needs of students at risk |
29 | of academic failure or needing remediation or in strategies to |
30 | ensure that students stay in school until graduation and |
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1 | successfully transition to postsecondary education or the work |
2 | force. |
3 | (iv) Reduction of class size. |
4 | (v) Prekindergarten or full-day kindergarten. |
5 | (vi) Incentives for the most effective highly qualified |
6 | teachers and principals to work in a school identified for |
7 | improvement or corrective action. |
8 | (vii) School library services, which may include the |
9 | employment of school librarians or additional school library |
10 | staff or the purchase of printed or electronic materials or |
11 | other resources for the school library collection. |
12 | (2) No more than ten percent (10%) of such funds may be used |
13 | to maintain existing programs that meet the criteria of |
14 | paragraph (1) or for one-time costs necessary to the delivery of |
15 | instruction that shall include books, materials or other |
16 | supplies. |
17 | (3) No more than ten percent (10%) of such funds may be used |
18 | for other programs or activities that are essential to achieving |
19 | or maintaining academic performance targets and that are based |
20 | on sound research or for one-time costs necessary to the |
21 | delivery of instruction that shall include books, materials or |
22 | other supplies. |
23 | (b) The following shall apply: |
24 | (1) A school district subject to this section shall submit a |
25 | plan to the Department of Education no later than August 1, |
26 | 2008, and no later than April 15 of each year thereafter, |
27 | detailing its intended use of funds subject to this section in |
28 | the subsequent fiscal year. If a general appropriation bill that |
29 | includes basic education funding for the applicable fiscal year |
30 | has not been enacted prior to the deadline, a school district |
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1 | shall base its plan on the amount of basic education funding |
2 | proposed in an executive budget and posted on the department's |
3 | Internet website. |
4 | (2) The department shall review all plans and may provide |
5 | recommendations to school districts within forty-five (45) days |
6 | of receipt of the plan. |
7 | (3) Within ninety (90) days of receipt of a plan submitted |
8 | by a school district identified for warning, improvement or |
9 | corrective action or a school district with one or more schools |
10 | identified for improvement or corrective action, the department |
11 | shall approve or disapprove the plan. The department shall |
12 | provide a written explanation to the board of school directors |
13 | of any school district whose plan is disapproved. |
14 | (4) A school district whose plan has been disapproved shall |
15 | amend and resubmit its plan as necessary until approved by the |
16 | department. |
17 | (c) The department shall approve any school district |
18 | achievement plan that: |
19 | (1) meets the requirements of this section; |
20 | (2) addresses the academic challenges identified in the |
21 | school district's most recent student achievement results, with |
22 | specific focus on individual schools, grade levels and |
23 | populations of students that demonstrate inadequate levels of |
24 | student achievement; and |
25 | (3) in the determination of the department, describes |
26 | programs and strategies that are most likely to improve student |
27 | achievement in the school district. |
28 | (d) For any school district where approval of a plan is |
29 | required pursuant to subsection (b), and notwithstanding any |
30 | other provision of law to the contrary, the department shall |
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1 | withhold the portion of the increase in basic education funding |
2 | which exceeds the index until such a time as a plan is approved. |
3 | (e) The Department of Education shall: |
4 | (1) Provide technical assistance to any school district upon |
5 | request for the development of a plan pursuant to this section. |
6 | (2) Determine the form and manner in which school districts |
7 | shall submit a plan pursuant to this section. |
8 | (3) Review all plans submitted to the department and approve |
9 | or disapprove plans as required pursuant to this section. |
10 | (f) Nothing in this section shall supersede or preempt any |
11 | provisions of a collective bargaining agreement between a school |
12 | entity and an employe organization in effect on the effective |
13 | date of this section.] |
14 | Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately. |
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