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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 27, 2023 04:48 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Providing greater flexibility, innovation and individualized instruction and opportunity for students |
| In the near future, I will introduce legislation that would update our Public School Code to amend an outdated provision that requires school districts, intermediate units (IUs), and career and technical schools to provide at least 180 days AND 900/990 hours of instructional time each school year (900 hours for elementary, 990 hours for secondary). Several other states have adjusted this outdated requirement by providing options. In 2020, the National Center for Educational Statistics found that 10 states allow either a minimum number of hours per school year OR days per year. Additionally, 13 states have a day requirement threshold but no hour requirement, including New Jersey and West Virginia, and 9 states have an hour requirement and no day requirement, including Delaware. Pennsylvania is one of 18 states that has a requirement schools must provide instruction for at least 180 days AND 900/990 hours per school year. In fact, Pennsylvania currently allows cyber, charter schools, private schools and homeschooled students to have the flexibility of instruction of 180 days OR 900/990 hours of instruction time. This legislation would provide parity with all educational offerings in Pennsylvania by allowing school districts, IUs, and career and technical schools with the option to meet a minimum of 180 days or 900/990 hours of instruction time per school year. Please join me in cosponsoring this overdue reform to our Public School Code. |