PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2112
PRINTER'S NO. 3149
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1743
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY MADDEN, PROBST, HILL-EVANS, SHUSTERMAN, T. DAVIS,
ROZZI, VITALI, SANCHEZ, GUENST, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, SALISBURY,
DONAHUE, PASHINSKI, GREEN, D. WILLIAMS, OTTEN, BOYD, STENDER,
TAKAC, KAZEEM, WEBSTER AND MADSEN, OCTOBER 4, 2023
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
MAY 21, 2024
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 school directors, further
providing for school director training programs.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 328(a) of the act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
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
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representing school directors and a Statewide organization
representing school business officials,], AS OUTLINED IN
PARAGRAPH (3) AND THAT HAS BEEN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR LEGAL COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE
FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS, pertaining to the skills
and knowledge necessary to serve as a school director. The
training program shall consist of a minimum of 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], AS OUTLINED IN PARAGRAPH (3) AND
THAT HAS BEEN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION FOR LEGAL COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL AND
STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS, which shall consist of a minimum of
three (3) hours of instruction, including information on
relevant changes to Federal and State [public school] law and
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regulations, fiscal management, trauma-informed approaches and
other information deemed appropriate by the Department of
Education to enable the school director to serve effectively.
(3) The training programs required under this subsection
shall be made available by the Department of Education [at no
cost to school districts or school directors. The Department of
Education shall approve alternative training programs that
fulfill the requirements of this subsection which may be
provided by school districts, intermediate units, postsecondary
institutions or Statewide education organizations. The
department shall post on its publicly accessible Internet
website all alternative training programs approved under this
paragraph.] which shall contract with AUTHORIZE a Statewide
education organization that represents school directors to
administer the training programs. AT LEAST SEVENTY-FIVE (75) PER
CENTUM OF SCHOOL BOARDS, HAS EXPERIENCE PROVIDING TRAINING THAT
MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION AND HAS ACTED AS A
STATEWIDE PROVIDER FOR AT LEAST THREE (3) YEARS. The Statewide
education organization which represents school directors shall
have the following duties:
(i) Prepare and offer the APPROVED training programs at no
cost to school districts or school directors.
(ii) Recommend quality alternative training programs to the
Department of Education that fulfill the requirements of this
subsection and that are consistent with the training programs
offered by the Statewide education organization which represents
school directors, which may be provided by school districts,
intermediate units, postsecondary institutions or other
Statewide education organizations. Training programs provided
under this subparagraph MUST BE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR LEGAL COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE
FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS AND shall be offered at
no cost to a school district or school director.
(3.1) The Department of Education shall post the
requirements of this subsection and information on where to
access the training programs provided for under paragraph (3)(i)
on the Department of Education's publicly accessible Internet
website.
(3.2) The Department of Education shall approve only
alternative training programs recommended by the Statewide
education organization under paragraph (3)(ii) and post
information on alternative training programs on the Department
of Education's publicly accessible Internet website. Approval of
alternative training programs shall expire two (2) years
following the date of approval and may be renewed in accordance
with this section.
(4) This subsection shall apply to members of a school
reform commission established under section 696, provided that
the training programs provided to members of a school reform
commission shall include information regarding sections 693 and
696 and other information deemed appropriate to enable a member
of a school reform commission to serve effectively.
(5) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to
prohibit a Statewide education organization representing school
directors from offering different training programs or other
learning activities in addition to the training programs
required under this subsection at an additional cost to a school
district or school director.
(6) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL DEEM THE STATEWIDE
EDUCATION ORGANIZATION AS A STATE-AFFILIATED ENTITY.
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(7) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO LIMIT THE
DUTY AND AUTHORITY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ADMINISTER
ALL LAWS OF THIS COMMONWEALTH REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT,
MAINTENANCE AND CONDUCT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN ACCORDANCE WITH
FEDERAL AND STATE LAW, INCLUDING SECTION 1302 OF THE ACT OF
APRIL 9, 1929 (P.L.177, NO.175), KNOWN AS "THE ADMINISTRATIVE
CODE OF 1929."
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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