Regular Session 2015-2016 Senate Bill 0924 P.N. 1103

PRINTER'S NO. 1103

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

924

Session of

2015

INTRODUCED BY AUMENT, SCARNATI, RAFFERTY, ALLOWAY, BLAKE,

GORDNER, BAKER, YUDICHAK, SCHWANK, ARGALL, MENSCH, DINNIMAN

AND BROWNE, JUNE 24, 2015

REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JUNE 24, 2015

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," providing for the E-chievement

Program.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known

as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding an

article to read:

ARTICLE XVII-D

E-CHIEVEMENT PROGRAM

Section 1701-D. Scope of article.

This article relates to the E-chievement Program.

Section 1702-D. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this article

shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Department." The Department of Education of the

Commonwealth.

"Hybrid learning." An instructional strategy that blends

digital resources with classroom teaching to increase student

engagement and improve academic achievement through the delivery

of lessons in small groups, the use of data to differentiate

instruction, the encouragement of individually paced learning

and the application of multiple educational methodologies. The

term does not include instruction through a distance education

program.

"Program." The E-chievement Program established under this

article.

"School entity." A school district, intermediate unit,

career and technical school, nonpublic school, private school or

charter school. The term does not include a cyber charter

school.

Section 1703-D. E-chievement Program.

(a) Establishment.--The E-chievement Program is established

in the department to award grants on a competitive basis to

eligible school entities for the planning or implementation of

hybrid learning.

(b) Eligibility.--

(1) A school entity may apply to the department for a

planning grant or implementation grant under the program.

More than one school entity may submit a joint application if

the school entities work together to provide hybrid learning.

(2) The department may establish criteria to determine

whether a school entity is eligible to receive a grant under

this article and shall give priority to school entities that

submit a joint application and demonstrate a commitment to

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exchanging best-practices and sharing hybrid learning costs.

application, in such form as deemed acceptable by the

department, to the department and execute a grant agreement in

order to be awarded a planning grant or implementation grant

from the department under this article. The grant application

must describe the manner in which the applicant will use hybrid

learning to improve student achievement and reduce costs.

(d) Grant agreement.--An eligible school entity that is

awarded a planning grant or implementation grant under this

article must sign a grant application with the department that

provides for the following:

(1) The school entity will provide a cash or in-kind

local match of money to hybrid learning within the school

entity of at least 25%.

(2) The school entity will work collaboratively to share

lessons learning with other school entities that receive

grants under this article.

(3) The school entity will report hybrid learning

results, including student achievement, to the department and

the General Assembly, as requested.

(e) Use of grants.--

(1) A grant issued by the department under this article

shall be used for necessary components of hybrid learning,

including, but not limited to, digital instructional content,

classroom management tools, operations support, technology

and equipment, professional development, instructional

coaching, consulting services and planning assistance.

(2) A grant issued by the department under this article

may not be used for:

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(i) Staff salaries, except to the extent necessary

for substitute teachers or the cost of professional

development activities related to hybrid learning.

(ii) The purchase of computer hardware, except for

reasonable quantities of computers and electronic devices

that are designed to launch hybrid learning programs.

Section 1704-D. Planning grants.

(a) General rule.--A planning grant from the program shall

be issued to eligible school entities that are interested in

hybrid learning, but do not have comprehensive plans to deliver

hybrid learning instruction.

(b) Limitation on amount.--A planning grant under this

article may not exceed more than $50,000 annually for a school

entity and not more than $50,000 annually for each school entity

that submits a joint application.

that applies for a planning grant must submit the following

information in the grant application:

(1) A statement of the problem to be solved and

identification of the objectives related to the problem.

(2) An overview of the planning process.

(3) A description of the professional development that

will occur during the planning period.

(4) The proposed planning budget, including the local

match.

Section 1705-D. Implementation grants.

(a) General rule.--An implementation grant from the program

shall be issued to eligible school entities that at the time of

application:

(1) have hybrid learning designs and are ready to

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implement hybrid learning; or

(2) deliver hybrid learning and intend to expand hybrid

learning.

(b) Limitation on amount.--An implementation grant under

this article may not exceed more than $250,000 annually for a

school entity and not more than $250,000 annually for each

school entity that submits a joint application. The

implementation grant may be awarded for not more than three

years.

that applies for an implementation grant must submit the

following information in the grant application:

(1) A statement of the problem to be solved and

identification of the objectives related to the problem.

(2) A detailed hybrid learning program design.

(3) An overview of the implementation plan for the

hybrid learning program.

(4) The proposed hybrid learning program budget,

including the local match.

(5) A summary of the professional development program.

(6) A description of how the school entity will define

success, monitor progress and make program improvements.

(7) A description of how the school entity will be able

to provide hybrid instruction within three years or less

without funding from the Commonwealth for the hybrid

learning.

Section 1706-D. Requirements for hybrid learning.

The following shall apply:

(1) Hybrid learning may be delivered outside of a school

building in whole or in part using technology that may

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include the Internet, video conferencing or other electronic

means.

(2) The time during which a student participates in

hybrid learning shall be considered to be compliant with the

compulsory attendance requirements of section 1327.

(3) School entities offering hybrid learning shall

develop policies related to the following and post such

policies on the school entity's publicly accessible Internet

website:

(i) Course grades.

(ii) Course credit.

(iii) Student promotion and graduation.

(iv) Eligibility requirements for student

participation in hybrid learning opportunities.

(4) A school entity offering hybrid learning shall

ensure that each student enrolled in the school entity and

participating in hybrid learning is offered at least 990

hours of instruction at the secondary level and 900 hours of

instruction at the elementary level.

Section 1707-D. Annual report.

By November 30, 2015, and by November 30 of each year

thereafter, the department shall prepare and submit a report to

the Governor, the Appropriations Committee of the Senate, the

Education Committee of the Senate, the Appropriations Committee

of the House of Representatives and the Education Committee of

the House of Representatives regarding the effectiveness and

administration of the program. The report shall, at a minimum,

discuss the following:

(1) Whether the program is meeting the goal of

delivering cost-effective, individualized instruction to

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increase student engagement and improve academic performance.

(2) The measures the department used to measure outcomes

of the program, including student academic performance.

(3) Individual school entity results from participation

in the program.

(4) The overall success of the program.

(5) Recommendations for modifications to the program.

Section 1708-D. Collective bargaining.

Nothing contained in this article shall be construed to

supersede or preempt the rights, remedies and procedures

afforded to school employees or labor organizations under

Federal or State law, including the act of July 23, 1970

(P.L.563, No.195), known as the Public Employe Relations Act, or

any provision of a collective bargaining agreement negotiated

between a school entity and an exclusive representative of the

employees in accordance with that act.

Section 1709-D. Program limitation.

No eligible school entity may receive grants under this

article in excess of $1,000,000 or within four years, consisting

of one planning grant and three years of implementation grants.

Section 1710-D. Distribution of funding.

The department shall ensure that not more than 15% of money

appropriated or made available to the department for grants

under this article are allocated to priority school entities,

are defined by the department and, to the greatest extent

possible, are distributed geographically throughout this

Commonwealth.

Section 1711-D. Expiration.

This article shall expire in five years.

Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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