PRINTER'S NO. 1580

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

1079

Session of

2020

INTRODUCED BY LANGERHOLC, BROWNE, MARTIN, AUMENT, MENSCH,

BREWSTER, BAKER, SCHWANK, COSTA, BARTOLOTTA, K. WARD AND

J. WARD, MARCH 10, 2020

laws relating thereto," in pupils and attendance, providing

for assisting students experiencing education instability.

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 a

section to read:

Section 1331.1. Assisting Students Experiencing Education

Instability.--(a) Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year and

each school year thereafter, a school entity receiving a student

name and contact information of the point of contact shall be:

(i) Included in the student's education records.

(ii) Provided to the student's education decision maker.

(2) Develop policies and procedures to apply full or partial

credit for coursework that is satisfactorily completed at, and

reflected in the student's records from, a prior school entity

by a student that enrolls at the receiving school entity.

(3) Not penalize a student for a school uniform or dress

code violation related to a delay in obtaining a uniform.

(4) Waive all fees that would otherwise be assessed against

(b) A point of contact, in consultation with the school

counselor, school social worker, home and school visitor or

school psychologist, shall:

(1) Facilitate a student's expedited consultation with the

school counselor or other mental health professionals, as

appropriate.

(2) Facilitate the prompt placement of a student in the

appropriate courses.

(3) Connect the student with appropriate education services.

(4) Immediately request the prior school entity, county

information and records to ensure proper transfer of course

credits, grades and an IEP, if applicable.

(5) Develop and execute a graduation plan in collaboration

with a student in grades nine through twelve to support the

student in graduating. The graduation plan shall be included in

the student's education records.

(c) A school entity shall ensure that a student experiencing

an educational instability graduates on time. The following

shall apply:

(1) A school entity may waive a specific course required for

coursework through any of the following:

(i) demonstration of competency by the student;

(ii) performance by a student on an examination;

(iii) successful completion of a career and technical

education course; or

(iv) any other evidence or method which is determined to be

appropriate by the school entity.

(2) If the receiving school entity does not waive a specific

course required for graduation of a student, the receiving

school entity shall provide an alternative or modified course of

(3) If a student is ineligible to graduate from the

receiving school entity, the receiving school entity may request

a high school diploma from the prior school entity and the prior

school entity may issue a diploma if the student meets the prior

school entity's graduation requirements.

(4) After exhausting all other options under this section, a

student who has successfully satisfied the requirements of

section 121(c), (c.1) or (c.3), but who cannot obtain a diploma

from a receiving school entity, shall as a last resort be

eligible to obtain a Statewide secondary school diploma, known

having all the rights and privileges afforded by the

Commonwealth, a Commonwealth agency, including, but not limited

to, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, a

political subdivision, a local agency and an authority or

instrumentality of the Commonwealth or a political subdivision

to a high school diploma awarded under this act. In the case of

a diploma awarded by the department the following shall apply:

(i) The student receiving the diploma shall have completed

all the requirements under paragraph (4) while enrolled in a

school entity that is in compliance with this section.

(d) The department, in consultation with the Department of

Human Services, shall issue guidelines and best practices within

one hundred eighty (180) days of the effective date of this

section to assist school entities in implementing the provisions

of this section and facilitate the transition between school

entities. The guidelines issued under this subsection shall be

posted on the department's publicly accessible Internet website.

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

shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless

the context clearly indicates otherwise:

to make education decisions for a student experiencing education

instability.

"Education instability." One or more changes in school

entity enrollment during a single school year as a result of any

of the following:

(1) Homelessness as defined in the McKinney-Vento Homeless

Assistance Act (Public Law 100-77, 101 Stat. 482) and as

determined by the school entity.

(2) An adjudication:

(i) of dependency under 23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to child

disclose the adjudication of delinquency; or

(iii) as part of court-ordered services under a voluntary

placement or custody agreement.

"Graduation plan." A student-specific plan detailing the

courses necessary for a student to graduate high school and to

successfully transition to postsecondary education and the

workforce.

"IEP." An individualized education plan developed in

accordance with 22 Pa. Code § 14.131 (relating to IEP) and the

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Public Law 91-230,

(5) An intermediate unit.

(6) A career and technical school.

"Student." A student in grades kindergarten through grade

twelve who has experienced education instability.