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," providing for Commonwealth secondary 
6school diploma.

7The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8hereby enacts as follows:

9Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11section to read:

12Section 1613.1. Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma.--(a)
13Within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this section,
14the Department of Education shall solicit proposals for the
15establishment and implementation of at least two testing
16programs under which individuals who do not possess a secondary
17school diploma and are not enrolled in a public or nonpublic
18school may obtain a Commonwealth secondary school diploma upon
19earning a passing score as determined by the Department of

1Education. The Department of Education shall at a minimum
2publish notice of its intention to solicit proposals in the
3Pennsylvania Bulletin and on its publicly accessible Internet
4website.

5(b) Within one year of the effective date of this section,
6the Department of Education shall establish, implement and
7maintain at least two testing programs under which individuals
8may obtain a Commonwealth secondary school diploma.

9(c) Each testing program established under subsection (b)
10shall:

11(1) be aligned with the rigor of Pennsylvania academic
12standards;

13(2) be available in both a paper-based and computer-based
14testing format; and

15(3) include multiple testing sections that may be taken on
16separate dates.

17(d) In establishing testing programs pursuant to subsection
18(b), the Department of Education shall consider the
19affordability and accessibility of testing programs to maximize
20the ability of individuals to obtain a Commonwealth secondary
21school diploma.

22Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.