PRINTER'S NO. 597
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
590
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY D. MILLER, SCHLOSSBERG, SOLOMON, NEILSON, SIMMONS,
McNEILL, FREEMAN, ISAACSON, DiGIROLAMO, MURT, HILL-EVANS,
DeLUCA, FRANKEL, MADDEN, CALTAGIRONE, McCLINTON, MATZIE AND
O'MARA, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 28, 2019
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 terms and courses of study,
further providing for subjects of instruction and flag code
and providing for mental health, physical disabilities and
developmental disabilities education.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1511 of the act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
amended to read:
Section 1511. Subjects of Instruction; Flag Code.--In every
elementary public and private school, established and maintained
in this Commonwealth, the following subjects shall be taught, in
the English language and from English texts: English, including
spelling, reading and writing, arithmetic, geography, the
history of the United States and of Pennsylvania, civics,
including loyalty to the State and National Government, safety
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education, and the humane treatment of birds and animals,
health, including physical education, [and] physiology[,] and
information regarding mental health, physical disabilities and
developmental disabilities, and music and art. Other subjects
shall be taught in the public elementary schools and also in the
public high schools as may be prescribed by the standards of the
State Board of Education. All such subjects, except foreign
languages, shall be taught in the English language and from
English texts: Provided, however, That, at the discretion of the
Superintendent of Public Instruction, the teaching of subjects
in a language other than English may be permitted as part of a
sequence in foreign language study or as part of a bilingual
education program if the teaching personnel are properly
certified in the subject fields. Each school district shall
provide and distribute to each pupil, enrolled in the eighth
grade of the public schools, one illustrated copy of the
National Flag Code, and shall, from time to time, make available
such copies as are necessary for replacements from year to year.
It shall be the duty of each teacher in the public schools to
make such use of the code as may, from time to time, seem
proper.
Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 1555. Mental Health, Physical Disabilities and
Developmental Disabilities Education.--(a) The department, in
consultation the State Board of Education, shall:
(1) Develop, within twelve (12) months of the effective date
of this section, model curriculum for instruction in mental
health, physical disabilities and developmental disabilities .
The department shall, at a minimum, consult with the following
individuals in developing the model curriculum:
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(i) a parent of a child with a disability;
(ii) a parent of a child with a mental health diagnosis;
(iii) a mental health advocacy organization or mental health
provider organization;
(iv) a disability advocacy organization or disability
provider organization;
(v) a school psychologist or psychological organization; and
(vi) a public school teacher and a private school teacher,
or their employe organizations.
(2) Integrate the model curriculum developed under paragraph
(1) into the health curriculum framework for school entities.
(3) Ensure that the model curriculum developed under
paragraph (1) shall:
(i) b e age appropriate;
(ii) be designed in a manner that supports inclusion in all
aspects of public life; and
(iii) combat the stigma historically associated with a
mental health, physical disability or developmental disability
diagnosis.
(4) Publish the model curriculum developed under paragraph
(1) on the department's publicly accessible Internet website.
(b) A school entity may utilize appropriate resources in
implementing the model curriculum developed under subsection (a)
(1).
(c) The department shall make available to each school
entity a list of resources and materials to assist school
entities in implementing the model curriculum developed under
subsection (a)(1).
(d) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
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subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
"School entity." A school district, charter school, regional
charter school, cyber charter school, intermediate unit or area
vocational-technical school.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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