PRINTER'S NO. 1376
No. 1125 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY STAIRS, CLYMER, CREIGHTON, GEIST, GINGRICH,
MARSICO, MOYER, MURT, RAYMOND AND REICHLEY, APRIL 23, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, APRIL 23, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," further providing for days schools
6 not to be kept open.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 1502 of the act of March 10, 1949
10 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
11 amended June 25, 1997 (P.L.297, No.30), is amended to read:
12 Section 1502. Days Schools not to be Kept Open.--(a)
13 [Except as provided in subsection (c), no] No school shall be
14 kept open on any Saturday for the purpose of ordinary
15 instruction, except when Monday is fixed by the board of school
16 directors as the weekly holiday, or on Sunday, Memorial Day,
17 Fourth of July, Christmas, Thanksgiving, the First of January
18 and up to five additional days designated as local holidays in
19 the adopted school calendar by the board of school directors as
1 official local school district holidays, nor shall any school be
2 kept open in any district during the time of holding the
3 teachers' institute for such district. The board of school
4 directors may cancel any day designated as a local holiday in
5 the event of a weather emergency or natural disaster.
6 [(c) For the school year 1995-1996 only, the board of school
7 directors shall have the option of rescheduling instructional
8 days on Saturday, but for not more than one Saturday per month,
9 to make up instructional days lost from the adopted school
10 calendar because school was closed as a result of the weather
11 emergency of 1996. In those cases where a board of directors
12 chooses to reschedule instructional days on Saturdays in
13 accordance with the provisions of this section, schools within
14 such board's jurisdiction shall not schedule tests or
15 examinations on these Saturdays. Notwithstanding the provisions
16 of subsection (a), if the board of school directors reschedules
17 an instructional day on Saturday, the schools may be open the
18 following Monday.]
19 (d) (1) To the extent possible, the board of school
20 directors in each school district shall schedule in-service days
21 for professional activities, professional meetings or parent-
22 teacher conferences on the days of municipal, general and
23 primary elections.
24 (2) If schools are kept open for student instruction on the
25 days of municipal, general and primary elections, the board of
26 school directors in the school district shall take reasonable
27 safety and security measures to safeguard students and school
28 staff in schools used as polling places. Such measures may
29 include, but not be limited to:
30 (i) Utilizing gates or barricades.
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1 (ii) Requiring voters to park off-campus.
2 (iii) Providing clear signage for voter entrances and exits.
3 (iv) Providing an increased presence of school security
4 staff.
5 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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