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 general provisions, providing for
6the Dual Enrollment Expansion Task Force.

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 124. Dual Enrollment Expansion Tank Force.--(a) The
13Dual Enrollment Expansion Tank Force is established.

14(b) The task force shall review and make recommendations for
15expanding dual enrollment and advanced placement opportunities
16that allow students to obtain college credits while in high
17school to ultimately make college education more affordable, as
18provided in this section.

19(c) The task force shall consist of the following members:

20(1) The chairman and the minority chairman of the Education

1Committee of the Senate and the chairman and the minority
2chairman of the Education Committee of the House of
3Representatives.

4(2) The Secretary of Education or a designee.

5(3) The Deputy Secretary for Elementary and Secondary
6Education or a designee.

7(4) The Deputy Secretary of the Office of Postsecondary and
8Higher Education or a designee.

9(5) The Chancellor of the State System of Higher Education
10or a designee.

11(6) The presidents of each of the Commonwealth's four State-
12related universities or their designees.

13(7) The president of the Pennsylvania Commission for
14Community Colleges or a designee.

15(8) The president of the Association of Independent Colleges
16and Universities of Pennsylvania or a designee.

17(9) The president of the Pennsylvania Association of Private
18School Administrators or a designee.

19(10) The president of the Pennsylvania Association of School
20Administrators or a designee.

21(11) The president of the Pennsylvania Association of School
22Business Officials or a designee.

23(12) The president of the Pennsylvania School Boards
24Association or a designee.

25(13) The president of the Philadelphia Federation of
26Teachers or a designee.

27(14) The president of the Pennsylvania State Education
28Association or a designee.

29(15) The president of the Association of Pennsylvania State
30College and University Faculties or a designee.

1(16) Two representatives of Pennsylvania's broadband cable
2industry, one each to be selected by the President pro tempore
3of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

4(17) The president of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business
5and Industry or a designee.

6(d) The members of task force shall select a member to serve
7as chair of the task force.

8(e) The task force shall hold its first meeting within
9forty-five (45) days of the effective date of this section.

10(f) The task force shall hold meetings at the call of the
11chair.

12(g) The members may not receive compensation for their
13services, but shall be reimbursed for all necessary travel and
14other reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the
15performance of their duties as members of the task force.

16(h) The task force may employ technical and clerical staff
17as it deems necessary to carry out its responsibilities under
18this section.

19(i) The General Assembly shall provide administrative
20support, meeting space and any other assistance required by the
21task force to carry out its duties under this section in
22cooperation with the department. The department shall provide
23the task force with data, research and other information upon
24request by the task force.

25(j) The task force shall have all of the following powers
26and duties:

27(1) Review and make findings and recommendations for the
28addition or expansion of dual enrollment programs in this
29Commonwealth.

30(2) Review and make findings and recommendations for the

1expansion of advanced placement options in this Commonwealth.

2(3) Consult with and utilize experts to assist in carrying
3out the duties under this subsection.

4(4) Receive input from interested parties, including, but
5not limited to, school districts, career and technical schools,
6institutions of higher education, the College Board, Department
7of Labor, media and Internet companies and trade associations.

8(5) Meet with all segments of the basic and higher education
9communities, representatives of the State's business and labor
10communities and Internet service providers operating within this
11Commonwealth to discuss their potential involvement in the
12operation of a State virtual dual-enrollment, blended or hybrid
13high school program.

14(6) Meet with current operators of Internet-based
15educational programs operating within this Commonwealth,
16including those operated by school districts, intermediate units
17and blended and hybrid high school programs.

18(7) Hold public hearings in different regions of this
19Commonwealth, consistent with the following:

20(i) All meetings and public hearings of the task force shall
21be deemed public meetings for the purpose of 65 Pa.C.S. Ch.7
22(relating to open meetings).

23(ii) Seven (7) members of the task force shall constitute a
24quorum at any meeting.

25(iii) Each member of the task force may designate another
26person to represent that member at meetings of the task force.

27(8) Review and consider factors of college credit expansion
28to high school students, including, but not limited to, access
29to the advanced placement program and testing that is utilized
30throughout the United States.

1(9) Identify the following types of classes taught in this
2Commonwealth:

3(i) High school courses taught by college instructors for
4neighboring higher education institutions.

5(ii) Career and certification courses taught in high schools
6by community college instructors.

7(iii) Hybrid learning opportunities listed in subparagraphs
8(i) and (ii) where students will earn college credit in a
9combination of the classroom, online learning, on college
10campuses and in the workplace.

11(10) Consider courses to be offered when adding or expanding
12options already in place, including how courses will be selected
13and assessed.

14(11) Consider policies for awarding college credit and the
15means for program accountability.

16(12) In identifying the factors needed to expand dual
17enrollment and the advanced placement program and testing and in
18completing the report required under paragraph (21), consider
19the impact these factors may have on the distribution of basic
20education funding among the school districts.

21(13) Consider methods for funding the expansion of dual
22enrollment and the advanced placement program, including cost
23estimates.

24(14) Review the administration of State and regional basic
25education programs and services to determine if cost savings may
26be achieved while expanding the ability of students to obtain
27college credit in high school and make recommendations to
28implement the savings.

29(15) Consider the advantages and disadvantages of a uniform
30articulation agreement for each school district in relation to

1the level of State basic education funding the school district
2received in the prior school year.

3(16) Identify and facilitate opportunities for academically
4talented students in economically distressed school districts to
5complete their junior and senior years at an area community
6college or university.

7(17) Review faculty issues arising from the expansion of
8dual enrollment arrangements and advanced placement courses and
9programs, including salaries, employe status in arrangements for
10reporting purposes, certification, training, professional
11development and evaluation.

12(18) Assure maximum accessibility to expanded dual
13enrollment and advanced placement opportunities for all high
14school students in all geographic locations.

15(19) Develop a proposed plan incorporating the essential
16factors for expanding dual enrollment and advanced placement
17opportunities identified in this subsection.

18(20) Draft proposed regulations and legislation based on the
19task force's findings.

20(21) Not later than one (1) year after the effective date of
21this section, issue a report of the task force's findings and
22recommendations to the Governor, the President pro tempore of
23the Senate, the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the
24Senate, the Education Committee of the Senate, the Speaker of
25the House of Representatives, the Majority Leader and the
26Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Education
27Committee of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of
28Education and the State Board of Education.

29(22) Consider other issues as it deems appropriate.

30(k) As used in this section, the following words and phrases

1shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
2the context clearly indicates otherwise:

3"Department." The Department of Education of the
4Commonwealth.

5"Dual enrollment." The term dual shall include, but not be
6limited to, an arrangement between a school district and a
7postsecondary institution that is made pursuant to:

8(1) A concurrent written agreement established under Article
9XVI-B.

10(2) An agreement made under section 1525.

11(3) An articulation agreement authorized by the department.

12(4) Any other type of arrangement that would address the
13need to close academic opportunity gaps for obtaining college
14credit, whether through direct college course attendance,
15successful advanced placement course work offered to the student
16while in high school or other programs that provide a student
17with the ability to obtain college credits while in high school
18and ultimately make college education more affordable in this
19Commonwealth.

20"Task force." The Dual Enrollment Expansion Task Force
21established under this section.

22(l) This section shall expire June 30, 2016.

23Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.