1Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2act relating to the public school system, including certain
3provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5laws relating thereto," in certification of teachers, further
6providing for continuing professional development <-and; 
7providing for baccalaureate certification basic skills; and 
8further providing for Pennsylvania School Leadership
9Standards.

10The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11hereby enacts as follows:

12Section 1. Section 1205.1(c.1) of the act of March 10, 1949
13(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
14amended July 11, 2006 (P.L.1092, No.114), is amended to read:

15Section 1205.1. Continuing Professional Development.--* * *

16(c.1) The continuing professional education plan shall
17specify the professional education needs that will be met by
18completion of each continuing professional education option and
19how it relates to areas of assignment and certification or

1potential administrative certification. The options may include,
2but shall not be limited to:

3(1) Collegiate studies.

4(2) Continuing professional education courses taken for
5credit.

6(3) Other programs, activities or learning experiences taken
7for credit or hourly, to include:

8(i) curriculum development and other program design and
9delivery activities at the school entity or grade level as
10determined by the school entity and approved by the board of
11directors;

12(ii) participation in professional conferences and
13workshops;

14(iii) education in the workplace, where the work relates to
15the professional educator's area of assignment and is approved
16by the board of directors;

17(iv) review, redesign and restructuring of school programs,
18organizations and functions as determined by the school entity
19and approved by the board of directors;

20(v) in-service programs that comply with guidelines
21established by the department;

22(vi) early childhood and child development activities for
23professional educators whose area of assignment includes
24kindergarten through third grade;

25(vii) special education activities for professional
26educators whose area of assignment includes students with
27special needs;

28(viii) successful completion of department training for
29service as a Distinguished Educator if the professional educator
30participates in and completes at least one assignment in the

1Distinguished Educators Program; [or]

2(ix) other continuing professional education courses,
3programs, activities or learning experiences sponsored by the
4department[.]; or

5(x) visits by educators to a manufacturing workplace<-, under
6which the board of directors approves the professional
7educator's participation in a site visit to a manufacturing
8location for orientation and demonstrations to give the
9professional educator a greater understanding of job
10opportunities in manufacturing for students.

11* * *

<-12Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read:

13Section 1207.3. Baccalaureate Certification Basic Skills
14Assessment.--(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an
15assessment of basic skills required under 22 Pa. Code § 49.18
16(relating to assessment) shall be completed and a satisfactory
17achievement level shall be obtained prior to entry into a
18Pennsylvania baccalaureate teacher preparation program.

19(b) An assessment of basic skills shall not be required for
20entry into a Pennsylvania postbaccalaureate teacher preparation
21program or for any applicant for certification who completes a
22postbaccalaureate certification program or holds a
23postbaccalaureate degree.

24(c) No baccalaureate certification program shall admit a
25student who has not met the requirements of this section by
26August 1, 2015.

27Section <-2 3. Section 1217(a) of the act, added July 20, 2007
28(P.L.278, No.45), is amended to read:

29Section 1217. Pennsylvania School Leadership Standards.--(a)
30Programs provided under section 1205.5(c) and (d) to prepare

1school or system leaders and for purposes of issuing
2administrator certificates or letters of eligibility and
3approved programs for the induction and continuing professional
4education of school or system leaders shall address:

5(1) The following core standards:

6(i) The knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically
7to create an organizational vision around personalized student
8success.

9(ii) An understanding of standards-based systems theory and
10design and the ability to transfer that knowledge to the school
11or system leader's job as the architect of standards-based
12reform in the school.

13(iii) The ability to access and use appropriate data to
14inform decision-making at all levels of the system.

15(2) The following corollary standards:

16(i) Creating a culture of teaching and learning with an
17emphasis on learning, including teaching and learning in 
18manufacturing and vocational fields.

19(ii) Managing resources for effective results.

20(iii) Collaborating, communicating, engaging and empowering
21others inside and outside of the organization to pursue
22excellence in learning.

23(iv) Operating in a fair and equitable manner with personal
24and professional integrity.

25(v) Advocating for children and public education in the
26larger political, social, economic, legal and cultural context.

27(vi) Supporting professional growth of self and others
28through practice and inquiry.

29* * *

30Section <-3 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.