See other bills
under the
same topic
PRINTER'S NO. 3390
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2078
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY PHILLIPS-HILL, DeLISSIO, KLUNK, BOBACK, LONGIETTI,
YOUNGBLOOD, ROZZI, GROVE, DAVIDSON, WATSON AND GABLER,
MAY 19, 2016
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 19, 2016
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in certification of teachers, further
providing for issuing permanent college certificates, for
program of continuing professional education and for
professional educator discipline fee.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1205 of the act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
amended July 22, 1970 (P.L.540, No.183), is amended to read:
Section 1205. Issuing Permanent College Certificates.--The
[Superintendent of Public Instruction] Secretary of Education
shall issue a permanent college certificate to every graduate of
an approved college or university, and of such departments
therein as are approved by him, when such graduate furnishes
satisfactory evidence of good moral character and successful
experience of three years' teaching on a provisional college
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
certificate in approved elementary or secondary schools, in
private institutions from which the Department of [Public
Instruction] Education purchases services on a tuition basis,
and in state-aided and state-owned secondary schools, and has
completed such work in education as may be required by the
standards of the State Board of Education. Such work in
education shall not exceed that required as of the time of
graduation of such graduates from colleges or universities
approved by the State Board of Education. Such certificate shall
entitle its holder to teach without further examination. The
Department of Education shall process an application for
permanent college certification submitted by a n individual who
is a member of the United States Armed Forces, including a
reserve component or National Guard, or a veteran, or the spouse
of the member of the United Sates Armed Forces or the spouse of
the veteran, within fourteen (14) days of the date the
department received the completed application. For the purposes
of this section, the term "veteran" shall mean an individual who
has served in the United States Armed Forces, including a
reserve component or National Guard, and who was discharged or
released from such service under conditions other than
dishonorable.
Section 2. Section 1205.2(k) of the act, amended June 22,
2001 (P.L.530, No.35), is amended to read:
Section 1205.2. Program of Continuing Professional
Education.--* * *
(k) A professional educator who is not employed by a school
entity as a professional or temporary professional employe may
apply to the department for inactive certification. Inactive
certification shall:
20160HB2078PN3390 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
(1) Suspend the requirements of this section until inactive
certification is removed by the department. Upon the removal of
inactive certification, a professional educator shall have the
same number of hours of continuing professional education and
the same amount of time in which to complete those hours as
existed for the professional educator at the time inactive
certification was granted.
(2) [Be] Except as provided under paragraph (2.1), be
removed by the department upon the application of the
professional educator and evidence of the completion of thirty
(30) hours of continuing professional education within the
immediate preceding twelve (12) months. The department shall
establish guidelines to approve courses that will authorize the
removal of inactive certification.
(2.1) Be removed by the department upon the application of a
professional educator who satisfies all of the following:
(i) holds a valid professional certificate issued by another
state;
(ii) provides evidence of current compliance with the
continuing education requirements of the other state; and
(iii) was employed on the certificate in the other state
within the year prior to the application.
Upon the removal of inactive certification, a professional
educator shall have the same number of hours of continuing
professional education and the same amount of time in which to
complete those hours as existed for the professional educator at
the time voluntary inactive certification was granted.
(3) Disqualify an individual from being employed by a school
entity as a professional or temporary employe. An individual
with inactive certification may be employed as a substitute
20160HB2078PN3390 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
teacher, principal, superintendent or assistant superintendent
in accordance with the endorsement on the individual's
certificate or letter of eligibility for no more than ninety
(90) days during a school year.
* * *
Section 3. Section 1216.1 of the act, added July 9, 2013
(P.L.408, No.59), is amended to read:
Section 1216.1. Professional Educator Discipline Fee.--(a)
[In] Except as provided under subsection (d), in addition to any
application fee established by the Department of Education, an
applicant for certification from the department shall pay a
professional educator discipline fee of twenty-five dollars
($25).
(b) The following shall apply:
(1) There is created in the General Fund a restricted
receipts account to be known as the Professional Educator
Discipline Account.
(2) The Professional Educator Discipline Account shall be
funded by money received under this section and any interest
derived from funds in the Professional Educator Discipline
Account.
(3) The funds in the Professional Educator Discipline
Account shall be appropriated to the department for
administration, enforcement and adjudication by the department
and the Professional Standards and Practices Commission under
the act of December 12, 1973 (P.L.397, No.141), known as the
"Professional Educator Discipline Act."
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
department may increase the fee established under subsection (a)
if the department determines that the cost of enforcement
20160HB2078PN3390 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
exceeds the revenue generated by the fee and by all other fees,
fines and civil penalties provided for under the "Professional
Educator Discipline Act."
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law or
regulation, a n individual who is a member of the United States
Armed Forces, including a reserve component or National Guard,
or a veteran, or the spouse of the member of the United States
Armed Forces or the spouse of the veteran, shall be required to
pay only the following fees to the department with respect to
the individual's certification:
(1) A certification fee not to exceed ten dollars ($10).
(2) A professional educator discipline fee not to exceed
twenty-five dollars ($25).
(e) For the purposes of this section, the term "veteran"
shall mean an individual who has served in the United States
Armed Forces, including a reserve component or National Guard,
and who was discharged or released from such service under
conditions other than dishonorable.
Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20160HB2078PN3390 - 5 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19