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PRINTER'S NO. 817
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
200
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY HUGHES, BROWNE, LANGERHOLC, STREET, COSTA,
TARTAGLIONE, LEACH, KEARNEY, YUDICHAK, DINNIMAN, MENSCH,
BLAKE, BREWSTER, MUTH, FONTANA, L. WILLIAMS AND HAYWOOD,
MAY 28, 2019
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MAY 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 preliminary provisions, further
providing for definitions; in school directors, further
providing for school director training programs; in
certification of teachers, further providing for continuing
professional development, providing for trauma-informed
education and further providing for postbaccalaureate
certification and for Pennsylvania School Leadership
Standards; in school safety and security, further providing
for definitions, for School Safety and Security Committee,
for school safety and security coordinator and for school
safety and security training and providing for trauma-
informed approach; in early learning programs, further
providing for duties of department; and, in the State Board
of Education, further providing for powers and duties of the
board and for powers and duties of Council of Basic Education
and Council of Higher Education.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 102 of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30,
No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by
adding definitions to read:
Section 102. Definitions.--When used in this act the
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following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
* * *
"Trauma." Includes results from an event, series of events
or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as
physically or emotionally harmful or threatening and that has
lasting adverse effects on the individual's cognitive
functioning and physical, social, emotional, mental or spiritual
well-being.
"Trauma-informed approach." Includes a schoolwide approach
to education and a classroom-based approach to student learning
that recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in students,
families and staff and responds by fully integrating knowledge
about trauma into policies, professional learning, procedures
and practices for the purposes of recognizing the presence and
onset of trauma, resisting the reoccurrence of trauma and
promoting resiliency tailored to a school entity's culture,
climate and demographics and the community as a whole.
* * *
Section 2. Section 328(a)(1) and (2) and (b)(1) and (2) of
the act are amended to read:
Section 328. School Director Training Programs.--(a)
Beginning in the 2018-2019 school year and in each school year
thereafter, the following shall apply:
(1) Each newly elected or appointed school director shall
complete, during the first year of the school director's first
term, a training program made available by the Department of
Education, in consultation with a Statewide organization
representing school directors and a Statewide organization
representing school business officials, pertaining to the skills
and knowledge necessary to serve as a school director. The
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training program shall consist of a minimum of [four (4)] five
(5) hours of instruction, including, at a minimum, information
regarding the following:
(i) Instruction and academic programs.
(i.1) Best practices related to trauma-informed approaches,
which shall comprise a minimum of one (1) hour of instruction.
(ii) Personnel.
(iii) Fiscal management.
(iv) Operations.
(v) Governance.
(vi) Ethics and open meetings, to include the requirements
under 65 Pa.C.S. Pt. II (relating to accountability).
(2) Within one (1) year after each reelection or
reappointment to the board of school directors, each school
director shall complete an advanced training program made
available by the Department of Education in consultation with a
Statewide organization representing school directors and a
Statewide organization representing school business officials.
The advanced training program shall consist of a minimum of [two
(2)] three (3) hours of instruction, including information on
relevant changes to Federal and State public school law and
regulations, fiscal management, trauma-informed approaches and
other information deemed appropriate by the Department of
Education to enable the school director to serve effectively.
* * *
(b) Beginning in the 2018-2019 school year, and in each
school year thereafter, the following shall apply:
(1) Each newly appointed trustee of a charter school entity
shall complete, within the trustee's first year of service, a
training program made available by the Department of Education,
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in consultation with Statewide organizations representing
charter school entities, pertaining to the skills and knowledge
necessary to serve as a charter school entity trustee. The
training program shall consist of a minimum of [four (4)] five
(5) hours of instruction, including, at a minimum, the
information listed in subsection (a)(1) and information
concerning Article XVII-A.
(2) During the fifth year of a trustee's service on the
board of trustees and every four (4) years thereafter, each
trustee shall complete an advanced training program made
available by the Department of Education in consultation with
Statewide organizations representing charter school entities.
The advanced training program shall consist of a minimum of [two
(2)] three (3) hours of instruction, including information on
relevant changes to Federal and State public school law and
regulations, including Article XVII-A, fiscal management,
trauma-informed approaches and other information deemed
appropriate by the Department of Education to enable the trustee
to serve effectively.
* * *
Section 3. Section 1205.1 of the act is amended by adding a
subsection to read:
Section 1205.1. Continuing Professional Development.--* * *
(b.1) The professional education plan of each school entity
shall include a minimum of one (1) hour of required training in
trauma-informed approaches.
* * *
Section 4. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 1205.7. Trauma-Informed Education.--(a) School
entities shall provide school employes with training on trauma-
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informed approaches. The following apply:
(1) Training shall address, but shall not be limited to:
(i) Recognition of the signs of trauma in students.
(ii) Best practices for schools and classrooms regarding
trauma-informed approaches, including utilization of multitiered
systems of support.
(iii) Recognition of the signs of the impact of secondary
trauma on school employes.
(iv) The school entity's policies regarding trauma-informed
approaches.
(v) The school entity's policies regarding connecting
students with appropriate services.
(2) Training shall be on evidence-based programs and reflect
current best practices related to trauma-informed approaches.
(3) School employes required to undergo continuing
professional education under section 1205.2 or 1205.5 shall
receive credit toward the school employes' continuing
professional education requirements if the training program has
been approved by the Department of Education.
(4) The school entity shall make a reasonable effort to
facilitate a time and location for school employes under this
section to participate in the training during paid working hours
or in-service training.
(b) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
"Evidence-based" shall have the meaning given in section
8101(21) of the Every Student Succeeds Act (Public Law 114-95,
129 Stat. 1802).
"School employe" shall have the meaning given to the term
"professional employe" in section 1101(1).
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"School entity" shall mean a public school, including a
school district, charter school, cyber charter school, regional
charter school, intermediate unit or area vocational-technical
school, a private school or a nonpublic school.
Section 5. Section 1207.1(a)(3)(i) of the act is amended by
adding a clause to read:
Section 1207.1. Postbaccalaureate Certification.--(a)
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the
Secretary of Education shall have all of the following powers
and duties with regard to postbaccalaureate certification
programs:
* * *
(3) Develop guidelines for the approval of flexible
postbaccalaureate instructional certification programs. Such
program guidelines shall address:
(i) Instruction and training in the following:
* * *
(H) Trauma-informed approaches.
* * *
Section 6. Section 1217(a)(1) of the act is amended by
adding a subparagraph to read:
Section 1217. Pennsylvania School Leadership Standards.--(a)
Programs provided under section 1205.5(c) and (d) to prepare
school or system leaders and for purposes of issuing
administrator certificates or letters of eligibility and
approved programs for the induction and continuing professional
education of school or system leaders shall address:
(1) The following core standards:
* * *
(iv) Understanding the impact of trauma on a child's
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educational experience, the school's culture, climate and
demographics and the community as a whole and applying trauma-
informed approaches to inform decision-making at all levels of
the system.
* * *
Section 6.1. Section 1301-B of the act is amended by adding
a definition to read:
Section 1301-B. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meaning given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
"State-related institution of higher education." As the term
"State-related institution" is defined in section 1502-A.
Section 7. Sections 1302-B(b), 1309-B(c)(2) and 1310-B(1) of
the act, added June 22, 2018 (P.L.327, No.44), are amended to
read:
Section 1302-B. School Safety and Security Committee.
* * *
(b) Composition.--The committee shall consist of a
chairperson and the following members:
(1) The Secretary of Education or a designee.
(2) The Attorney General or a designee.
(3) The Commissioner of Pennsylvania State Police or a
designee.
(4) The Director of the Pennsylvania Emergency
Management Agency or a designee.
(5) An individual appointed by the President pro tempore
of the Senate.
(6) An individual appointed by the Minority Leader of
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the Senate.
(7) An individual appointed by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives.
(8) An individual appointed by the Minority Leader of
the House of Representatives.
(9) The chairperson of the commission or a designee.
(10) The Secretary of Human Services or a designee.
(10.1) The Secretary of Health or a designee.
(11) A recognized subject matter expert in strategic
security appointed by the Governor from three names submitted
jointly by the President pro tempore of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(12) The following members appointed by the Governor:
(i) An individual recommended by the Pennsylvania
Association of School Business Officials with experience
in school safety and security matters.
(ii) An individual recommended by the Pennsylvania
Association of School Administrators with experience in
school safety and security matters.
(iii) An individual member of local law enforcement
recommended by the State Fraternal Order of Police.
(iv) A child psychologist who specializes in mental,
social and emotional development of children recommended
by the Pennsylvania Psychological Association.
(v) A licensed clinical social worker recommended by
the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work.
(vi) An architect recommended by the American
Institute of Architects of Pennsylvania with experience
in school building safety and security matters.
(vii) A subject matter expert in trauma-informed
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approaches from a State-related institution of higher
education.
* * *
Section 1309-B. School safety and security coordinator.
* * *
(c) Specific duties.--The school safety and security
coordinator shall:
* * *
(2) Coordinate training and resources for students and
school entity staff in matters relating to situational
awareness, trauma-informed [education awareness,] approaches,
behavioral health awareness, suicide and bullying awareness,
substance abuse awareness and emergency procedures and
training drills, including fire, natural disaster, active
shooter, hostage situation and bomb threat.
* * *
Section 1310-B. School safety and security training.
School entities shall provide their employees with mandatory
training on school safety and security subject to the following:
(1) Training shall address the following:
(i) Situational awareness.
(ii) Trauma-informed [education awareness.]
approaches.
(iii) Behavioral health awareness.
(iv) Suicide and bullying awareness.
(v) Substance use awareness.
(vi) Emergency training drills, including fire,
natural disaster, active shooter, hostage situation and
bomb threat.
* * *
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Section 8. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 1311-B. Trauma-informed approach.
No later than August 31, 2019, the committee shall develop a
model trauma-informed approach plan that shall be used by a
school entity applying for a grant under section 1306-B(j)(21).
The plan must include the following:
(1) Designation of at least one individual who:
(i) is assigned to the school;
(ii) oversees the implementation of the plan,
integrating the coordination of services and professional
development into the school entity's comprehensive plan;
and
(iii) serves as a member of a school's student
assistance program team.
(2) Coordination of services among:
(i) the student and the student's family;
(ii) the school; and
(iii) county-based services, community care
organizations, public health entities, nonprofit youth
service providers, community-based organizations,
organizations that provide before or after-school care
and other similar groups that are located in the
community.
(3) Indication of how coordinated services are provided
based on a trauma-informed approach with an understanding,
recognition and responsiveness to the effects of trauma on
education, absenteeism and school completion, including the
secondary impact of trauma on school employees.
(4) Utilization of evidence-based, evidence-informed and
culturally specific approaches and national models that are
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tailored to the community to ensure that data is collected
and the effectiveness of the trauma-informed approaches are
determined.
(5) Professional development and support for school
staff which fosters a culture in the school entity and
community that is informed about how to understand, recognize
and respond to trauma and address the impact of trauma on
students as a secondary impact on school employees.
Section 9. Section 1513-D of the act is amended by adding a
paragraph to read:
Section 1513-D. Duties of department.
The department shall have the following powers and duties:
* * *
(8) To encourage the integration of trauma-informed
approaches into the program curriculum and the professional
development curriculum of personnel of the eligible provider
who have regular contact with children.
Section 10. Section 2603-B(d) of the act is amended by
adding a clause to read:
Section 2603-B. Powers and Duties of the Board.--* * *
(d) The board shall also have the authority and duty to:
* * *
(9.1) Adopt policies encouraging the inclusion of trauma-
informed approaches in professional education curriculum in all
public and private institutions of higher education in this
Commonwealth issuing degrees to individuals who may desire to
teach in the schools of this Commonwealth.
* * *
Section 11. Section 2604-B(b)(2)(vii) and (viii) of the act
are amended and subsection (b)(2) is amended by adding a
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subclause to read:
Section 2604-B. Powers and Duties of Council of Basic
Education and Council of Higher Education.--* * *
(b) The Council of Basic Education shall have the power, and
its duty shall be to:
* * *
(2) investigate programs, conduct research studies and
formulate policy proposals in all educational areas not within
the purview of higher education, including, but not limited to:
* * *
(vii) the subjects to be taught and the activities to be
conducted in elementary, secondary, adult education and other
schools; [and]
(viii) the qualifications for employment of professional
personnel in the public schools; and
(ix) education and training in trauma-informed approaches;
* * *
Section 12. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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