PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 184, 2051 PRINTER'S NO. 2163
No. 204 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY STAIRS, COLAFELLA, ARMSTRONG, BASTIAN, FLEAGLE,
HERMAN, NAILOR, SCHULER, T. STEVENSON, GRUCELA, BARD, BISHOP,
BOYES, CALTAGIRONE, CLARK, M. COHEN, COY, DALEY, DeLUCA,
EGOLF, FEESE, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GEIST, HALUSKA, HARHAI,
HENNESSEY, HESS, LAUGHLIN, MANDERINO, MARSICO, MELIO,
R. MILLER, PIPPY, ROSS, RUBLEY, SATHER, SCHRODER, SCRIMENTI,
SHANER, STABACK, SURRA, E. Z. TAYLOR, TULLI, WALKO, WANSACZ,
ZUG, JOSEPHS, YUDICHAK, MUNDY, SEMMEL, McCALL, C. WILLIAMS,
PRESTON, DeWEESE, HORSEY, SAYLOR, J. EVANS AND BROWNE,
JANUARY 24, 2001
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
JUNE 11, 2001
AN ACT
1 Establishing a system for collecting information from school
2 districts and other school entities in a uniform manner;
3 making the information accessible to the public; imposing
4 duties and responsibilities on the Department of Education
5 and various school entities; and establishing financial
6 penalties for noncompliance.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Short title.
10 This act shall be known and may be cited as the School
11 Profiles Act.
12 Section 2. Definitions.
13 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
14 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
15 context clearly indicates otherwise:
1 "Administrative/supervisory personnel." Personnel who direct
2 and manage or assist with directing and managing the programs,
3 operation and personnel of a school entity or particular school.
4 "Classroom teacher." An individual, including a career or
5 technical teacher, who provides instruction to students.
6 "Coordinated services personnel." Personnel who provide
7 guidance, health and psychological services and assistance to
8 students, parents and other staff members or who perform
9 specially designed services not provided by regular or special
10 education instruction.
11 "Department." The Department of Education of the
12 Commonwealth.
13 "Dropout." A student who, at any time during the previous
14 school year, was between 12 years of age and 21 years of age and
15 enrolled in grades 7 through 12, but who was not enrolled by
16 September 30 of the current year, for any reason except death,
17 suspension, excused illness, graduation or transfer to another
18 school entity.
19 "Dropout rate." The percentage of secondary level students
20 enrolled who drop out during a single school year.
21 "Expulsion." This term shall have the same meaning given to
22 it in 22 Pa. Code § 12.6 (relating to expulsion from school).
23 "Gifted student." This term shall have the same meaning
24 given to it in 22 Pa. Code, Chapter 16 (relating to special
25 education for gifted students).
26 "Habitual truant." A student who has been absent without
27 lawful excuse for more than three consecutive school days.
28 "Kindergarten program." A program offered to children who
29 are below a school district's minimum entry age for beginners.
30 "Librarian." An individual with library science
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1 certification who provides library services and teaches
2 information literacy skills.
3 "School." A division of a school system which is comprised
4 of one or more grade groups, organized as one unit usually under
5 the direction of a principal or head teacher. The term includes
6 an independent school established pursuant to section 1704-B(a)
7 of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the
8 Public School Code of 1949.
9 "School entity." Any of the following:
10 (1) A school district as defined in section 102 of the
11 act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public
12 School Code of 1949.
13 (2) An area vocational-technical school operated
14 pursuant to Article XVIII of the Public School Code of 1949.
15 (3) A charter school as defined in section 1703-A of the
16 Public School Code of 1949.
17 "Secretary." The Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth.
18 "Special education student." A student who receives special
19 education in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities
20 Education Act (Public Law 91-230, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.) and
21 22 Pa. Code, Chapter 14 (relating to special education services
22 and programs).
23 "Suspension." This term shall have the same meaning given to
24 it in 22 Pa. Code § 12.6(b)(1) (relating to exclusions from
25 school).
26 Section 3. School profiles.
27 Reports provided pursuant to this act shall form the basis of
28 school, school-entity-wide and State profiles referenced in
29 sections 5 and 6. These profiles shall replace the profiles
30 previously developed by the secretary pursuant to 22 Pa. Code §
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1 4.61 (relating to school profiles). These profiles shall be
2 compiled from data reported by the school entities and shall not
3 constitute an additional report by the school entities.
4 Section 4. Duties of school entities.
5 (a) General rule.--Each school entity shall submit to the
6 department the information listed in section 5, in accordance
7 with the established deadlines established specifically
8 applicable to each informational item. Unless otherwise
9 provided, the school entity shall submit information for each
10 individual school within its jurisdiction.
11 (b) Time.--All of the information required to complete the
12 school profile shall be submitted to the department no later
13 than February 1 of each year. Nothing in this section shall be
14 construed to alter any established deadline for the submission
15 of any informational item listed in section 5.
16 (c) Penalty for failure to comply.--The penalties set forth
17 in section 2552 of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14),
18 known as the Public School Code of 1949, shall apply to all
19 school entities for purposes of this act.
20 Section 5. Required information.
21 The information submitted by school entities shall include,
22 but not be limited to, the following:
23 (1) Enrollment by grade level, including four-year and
24 five-year old kindergarten by half-day and full-day, as of
25 October 1.
26 (2) The number of schools comprising the school entity
27 and the grade levels in each school.
28 (3) Percentage of low-income students, calculated in a
29 manner prescribed by the department.
30 (4) The number of students receiving instruction in
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1 English as a second language courses.
2 (5) By school entity, the number and percentage of
3 students with disabilities enrolled in special education
4 programs.
5 (6) By school entity, the number and percentage of
6 students identified as gifted enrolled in gifted programs.
7 (7) Student attendance rates for the school year
8 measured as the percentage for the school year of students
9 present each day to the total enrollment each day.
10 (8) The number of students who entered or withdrew
11 during the school year.
12 (9) The number of suspensions at the secondary level
13 during the school year.
14 (10) The number of expulsions at the secondary level
15 during the school year.
16 (11) Dropout rate by grade.
17 (12) The number of students retained grade-to-grade at
18 the secondary level.
19 (13) The percentage of classes within each of the
20 following categories:
21 (i) 1 through 20 students.
22 (ii) 21 through 23 students.
23 (iii) 24 through 26 students.
24 (iv) 27 through 29 students.
25 (v) 30 or more students.
26 (13.1) THE PERCENTAGE OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSES <--
27 WITHIN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
28 (I) 1 THROUGH 20 STUDENTS.
29 (II) 21 THROUGH 23 STUDENTS.
30 (III) 24 THROUGH 26 STUDENTS.
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1 (IV) 27 THROUGH 29 STUDENTS.
2 (V) 30 OR MORE STUDENTS.
3 (13.2) THE PERCENTAGE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL, MATH AND
4 ENGLISH CLASSES WITHIN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
5 (I) 1 THROUGH 20 STUDENTS.
6 (II) 21 THROUGH 23 STUDENTS.
7 (III) 24 THROUGH 26 STUDENTS.
8 (IV) 27 THROUGH 29 STUDENTS.
9 (V) 30 OR MORE STUDENTS.
10 (14) (i) The number of professional or certificated
11 employees at each school and school entity and the number
12 of noncertificated personnel in positions normally
13 requiring certification.
14 (ii) Number of administrative/supervisory personnel.
15 (iii) The number of classroom teachers.
16 (iv) The number of librarians.
17 (v) The number of coordinate services personnel.
18 (15) Teacher absenteeism represented as the percentage
19 of teacher contractual days that permanent contractual
20 teachers were absent for personal reasons.
21 (16) Classroom teacher time devoted to professional
22 development reported as the percentage of teacher contractual
23 days that permanent contractual teachers devoted to
24 professional development, including days enumerated under
25 section 1504 of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14),
26 known as the Public School Code of 1949, in-service days and
27 individual professional development days.
28 (17) Listing of professional development, class
29 preparation and research opportunities provided for
30 professional employees and noncertificated personnel in
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1 positions normally requiring certification.
2 (18) Listing of academic and support programs,
3 opportunities and initiatives offered or supported in the
4 school entity as specified in technical guidelines issued by
5 the department.
6 (19) By school entity, a listing of commercial
7 standardized tests administered and the grades in which they
8 are administered.
9 (20) Percentage of professional employees and
10 noncertificated personnel in positions normally requiring
11 certification possessing bachelor's, master's and doctoral
12 degrees.
13 (21) Classroom teachers' average years of service in
14 education.
15 (22) Librarians' average years of service in education.
16 (23) The number of classroom teachers serving under
17 emergency permits.
18 (24) The number of instructional days in the school
19 year.
20 (25) The number of contractual days in the school year
21 for classroom teachers.
22 (26) The number of instructional hours in a school day.
23 (27) The total number of resident students attending
24 charter schools.
25 (28) For the graduating senior class, the percentage of
26 graduates planning to enter college or university, other
27 postsecondary school, military service or employment.
28 (29) The number of students classified as habitual
29 truants.
30 (30) Library resources, including:
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1 (i) The number of cataloged items in the library
2 collection at the end of the school year.
3 (ii) The number of on-line reference and periodical
4 data base titles the library makes available to its
5 users.
6 (iii) The total circulation of library materials
7 during the last school year.
8 (31) Technology resources, including:
9 (i) The total number of computers in the school.
10 (ii) The number of computers available for student
11 use.
12 (iii) The number of computers with Internet access.
13 (iv) The number of computers available in teachers'
14 workroom.
15 (v) The number of computers available in classrooms.
16 (vi) The number of computers available in computer
17 lab.
18 (vii) The number of computers available in library
19 or media center.
20 (32) Number of items of broadcast or cable television
21 available in teachers' workroom, classrooms, computer lab and
22 library or media center.
23 (33) Fiscal information as required by section 613 of
24 the Public School Code of 1949, including, but not limited
25 to, the following:
26 (i) Classroom instructional costs.
27 (ii) Instructional support costs.
28 (iii) Administrative support costs by school entity.
29 (iv) Subject matter or grade-level costs.
30 (v) Technology costs by school entity.
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1 (vi) Special education instructional and
2 noninstructional costs by school entity.
3 (vii) Total outstanding long-term debt by school
4 entity.
5 (viii) Revenues by source by school entity.
6 (ix) Total funds available by school entity.
7 (x) Professional development by school entity.
8 (xi) Transportation costs by school entity.
9 (xii) Facilities and plant operations.
10 (xiii) Extracurricular activities by school entity.
11 (xiv) Food service costs by school entity.
12 (34) The number of incidents reported pursuant to
13 section 1303-A(b) of the Public School Code of 1949.
14 (35) The number of eleventh and twelfth grade students
15 who took the College Entrance Examination Board Advanced
16 Placement Test.
17 (36) The number of eleventh and twelfth grade students
18 who scored above three on the College Entrance Examination
19 Board Advanced Placement Test.
20 (37) The number of eleventh and twelfth grade students
21 who took the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the American College
22 Test or both.
23 (38) The number of eleventh and twelfth grade students
24 who scored in the top quartile of the Scholastic Aptitude
25 Test or American College Test and the number of those who
26 scored in the bottom quartile.
27 (39) Average Scholastic Aptitude Test and American
28 College Test scores for each school entity.
29 (40) Scaled scores of the Pennsylvania System of School
30 Assessment or the local assessment system aligned with
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1 academic standards, divided into all students at the school
2 and school entity level.
3 (41) Pennsylvania System of School Assessment or the
4 local assessment system aligned with academic standards, data
5 disaggregated at the school level.
6 (42) Pertinent data from the National Occupational
7 Competency Testing Institute's Job Ready Assessments and
8 other department-approved tests given to students in
9 department-approved career and technical programs.
10 (43) School entity-level data from the administration of
11 Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment in accordance
12 with department guidelines.
13 (44) Number of students enrolled in approved
14 occupational career and technical programs.
15 (45) For the completers of approved occupational career
16 and technical programs, the percentage of those who obtained
17 employment, enrolled in a postsecondary institution or
18 entered military service.
19 (46) Other information that may be required as directed
20 by the secretary to comply with Federal or State statutes.
21 Section 6. Duties of department.
22 (a) Guidelines.--The department shall develop guidelines as
23 necessary for the implementation of section 5 and provide
24 technical assistance to school entities in reporting information
25 required by section 4(a). The department shall compile data and
26 report it by school entity pursuant to this act.
27 (b) Preliminary summaries.--
28 (1) The department shall prepare preliminary summaries
29 for each school entity and its individual schools, based on
30 the information obtained under this act.
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1 (2) In order to ensure accurate data, the department
2 shall make the preliminary summaries available on-line for
3 each school entity.
4 (3) Within 20 days of receipt of the on-line summaries,
5 the school entity may request that the department make any
6 material changes in any summary.
7 (4) If the district does not submit such request within
8 20 days, the summaries shall be deemed accurate and become
9 the school and school entity-wide profiles.
10 (c) State profile.--The department shall create a State
11 profile based on the profiles created pursuant to subsection
12 (b). The State profile shall provide information for
13 socioeconomically similar schools.
14 (d) Publication of school, school entity-wide and State
15 profiles.--No later than March 1 of each year, the department
16 shall publish on its World Wide Web site the school, school
17 entity-wide and State profiles established in accordance with
18 subsections (b) and (c). Prior to the release of the profiles
19 the department shall issue a press release informing the public
20 of the availability of this information.
21 Section 7. Nonpublic school election to comply.
22 Upon request to the department by the principal of a
23 nonpublic school as defined in section 922.1 of the act of March
24 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of
25 1949, nonpublic schools may elect to comply with the provisions
26 of this act.
27 Section 8. Effective date.
28 This act shall take effect July 1, 2001, or immediately,
29 whichever is later.
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