PRINTER'S NO. 978

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

968

Session of

2021

INTRODUCED BY KINSEY, FITZGERALD, D. WILLIAMS, SANCHEZ, ROTHMAN,

HILL-EVANS, SCHWEYER, SCHLOSSBERG, KINKEAD, FREEMAN, NEILSON,

LONGIETTI, FRANKEL, CIRESI, DEASY AND ROZZI, MARCH 18, 2021

laws relating thereto," in certification of teachers, further

providing for continuing professional development; providing

for access to advanced placement courses for all students;

establishing the Advanced Placement Teacher Training Program;

and imposing duties on the Department of Education and on

school entities.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 1205.1(c.1)(3) of the act of March 10,

1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,

potential administrative certification. The options may include,

but shall not be limited to:

* * *

(3) Other programs, activities or learning experiences taken

for credit or hourly, to include:

(i) curriculum development and other program design and

delivery activities at the school entity or grade level as

determined by the school entity and approved by the board of

directors;

(ii) participation in professional conferences and

and approved by the board of directors;

(v) in-service programs that comply with guidelines

established by the department;

(vi) early childhood and child development activities for

professional educators whose area of assignment includes

kindergarten through third grade;

(vii) special education activities for professional

educators whose area of assignment includes students with

special needs;

(viii) successful completion of department training for

department; [or]

(x) visits by educators to a manufacturing workplace for

orientation and demonstrations to give the professional educator

a greater understanding of job opportunities in manufacturing

for students; or

(xi) access to the advanced placement courses for all

students program.

* * *

Section 2. The act is amended by adding an article to read:

Section 1702-D. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this article

shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Advanced placement course." A program authorized by the

college board that allows a student to study college-level

subjects while enrolled in high school and to receive advanced

placement and college credit for earning a qualified score on

the course-related Advanced Placement exam.

"Department." The Department of Education of the

computer science due to the retirement or loss of a teacher who

teaches an advanced placement course.

"Eligible teacher." A professional employee who is certified

in the subject area of the advanced placement course that the

professional employee will be teaching. In the case of a

computer science course, the term means an individual who has

received professional development to teach computer science even

if the individual is certified in a different subject area.

"Four core academic areas." Mathematics, English language

charter school operating in this Commonwealth.

"Teacher training entity." An institution of higher

education, intermediate unit or organization endorsed by the

college board to train teachers to teach advanced placement

courses.

"Virtual learning instruction." The provision of academic

courses and instruction to students through the Internet or the

use of technology.

Section 1703-D. Advanced Placement Teacher Training Program.

(a) Purpose.--The purpose of the program is to provide

high school as an indicator of academic achievement that

determines a high school's academic performance score.

(b) Establishment.--The Advanced Placement Teacher Training

Program is established in the department to train teachers in an

eligible school entity to teach advanced placement courses in

the four core academic areas and computer science.

(c) Teacher training.-- A school entity that has an advanced

placement course in one or more of the four core academic areas

or computer science but not in all five areas shall be eligible

(e) Joint application.--More than one eligible school entity

may apply jointly to the program to train a teacher in an

advanced placement course instruction if the teacher will

provide instruction in more than one school entity through

classroom instruction, virtual learning instruction or a blended

learning model.

(f) Publication.--A school entity that offers advanced

placement courses to students because of the program shall

publish on the school's publicly accessible Internet website the

advanced placement courses offered and notify parents of the

(1) The subject areas that currently have advanced

placement courses in the school entity.

(2) T he four core academic areas or computer science

that do not have advanced placement courses in the school

entity.

(3) The following information:

(i) The names of the eligible teachers.

(ii) The high school where the teachers are

teaching.

courses.

(5) An agreement to offer the advanced placement courses

for high school students for at least three years.

(6) Guidelines the school entity will use to determine

which students may be eligible to enroll in an advanced

placement course, subject to the following:

(i) In developing the guidelines, the school entity

shall utilize data and information on the academic

performance of students, which may include the academic

performance of students on the Pre-Scholastic Aptitude

classes reflect the diversity of the student population.

(ii) The school entity may not unlawfully

discriminate on any basis in enrollment of students.

(7) A statement agreeing to comply with the reporting

requirement under section 1705-D.

Section 1705-D. Report to department.

For each of the five academic areas where an eligible

teacher's training was funded by the program a school entity

shall annually report to the department the following:

(4) Number of students who scored a three or higher on

advanced placement examinations.

(5) Number of teachers who taught advanced placement

courses within the school entity.

Section 1706-D. Powers and duties of department.

(a) General rule.--The department shall promulgate rules,

regulations and procedures necessary for the implementation of

this article, including the following:

(1) Certify teacher training entities, that are endorsed

by the college board, that may provide training to teachers

administered in a manner that is not in person.

(2) The department shall ensure that training provided

by teacher training entities provides eligible teachers with

the necessary content knowledge and instructional skills to

prepare students for success in advanced placement courses

and examinations.

(b) Report.--Starting at the end of the first year of the

program and then annually thereafter, the department shall issue

a report to the General Assembly on the program that includes:

advanced placement courses in each of the five academic

areas.

(4) The number and percentage of students who took

advanced placement courses at school entities in each of the

five academic areas.

(5) The number and percentage of students who scored a

three or higher on an advanced placement examination at

school entities in each of the five academic areas.

(6) The names of the school entities and high schools

that do not offer advanced placement courses.

department shall allocate funds to certified teacher training

entities based on teacher attendance upon completion of the

training program.

Section 1708-D. Program funding.

(a) Funding.--Funding for the program shall be made from

available Federal funds and annual appropriations made by the

General Assembly to the department for that purpose or private

sources.

(b) Priorities.--In the event of insufficient funds in any

Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.