Regular Session 2023-2024 Senate Bill 0714 P.N. 0879

PRINTER'S NO. 879

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

714

Session of

2023

INTRODUCED BY AUMENT, BARTOLOTTA, PENNYCUICK, MILLER,

SANTARSIERO, LAUGHLIN, BOSCOLA, STEFANO, A. WILLIAMS AND

ROBINSON, JUNE 14, 2023

REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JUNE 14, 2023

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," providing for the STEM Grant Program;

and making an appropriation.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known

as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding an

article to read:

ARTICLE XV-N

STEM GRANT PROGRAM

Section 1501-N. Scope of article.

This article relates to the STEM Grant Program.

Section 1502-N. 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:

"Department." The Department of Education of the

Commonwealth.

"Nonpublic school." A nonprofit school, other than a public

school, in this Commonwealth where a resident of this

Commonwealth may legally fulfill the compulsory school

attendance requirements of this act and which meets the

requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42

U.S.C. § 2000d et seq.).

"Program." The STEM Grant Program under section 1503-N.

"Secretary." The Secretary of Education of the Commonwealth.

"STEM subject." A class for which the instruction relates to

the topics of science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

Section 1503-N. Administrations.

(a) Selection of administrator.--Within 30 days of the

effective date of this section, the department shall issue a

request for applications for an intermediate unit to administer

the program.

(b) Applications.--The selected administrator shall develop

an application process for the program consistent with the

provisions of section 1504-N(a).

notify all educators employed by the school districts within

this Commonwealth of the program and shall submit a list of all

eligible educators who express interest in participating in the

program to the department by January 15 of each year. The

secretary shall post the list on the department's publicly

accessible Internet website by January 30 of each year.

(d) Awards.--The selected administrator shall be responsible

for the distribution of awards as provided for under section

1505-N.

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(e) Fees.--The selected administrator shall utilize no more

than 5% of the total appropriation for the program for

administrative costs associated with this article.

Section 1504-N. Application and acceptance.

(a) Application.--A nonpublic school that elects to

participate in the program shall submit an application to the

secretary in a manner and on a form as determined by the

secretary. The secretary shall establish the application

deadlines for each school year. An application shall include the

following:

(1) The names of the nonpublic school and eligible

educator that shall form a STEM partnership under the

program.

(2) A statement from the nonpublic school and the

eligible educator that the eligible educator shall teach at

the nonpublic school during hours when the educator has no

conflicting public school duties.

(3) The proposed schedule and grades to be taught by the

eligible educator at the nonpublic school.

(4) The number of students, based on enrollment

projections, who will receive instruction from the eligible

educator under the proposed schedule at the nonpublic school.

(5) A certification from the nonpublic school that the

eligible educator shall provide only secular instruction at

the nonpublic school.

(6) Any other information specified by the secretary.

(b) Notification.--Upon receiving an application under

subsection (a), the secretary shall, within 10 business days of

receipt of the application, notify the school district where the

educator is employed of the partnership between the nonpublic

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school and the educator and shall detail the proposed schedule

and grades to be taught by the educator at the nonpublic school.

Section 1505-N. Grant awards.

(a) Award.--The secretary shall award grants under the

program based on review of the applications and subject to the

limit of money appropriated or otherwise made available for the

program. Grant money for approved applications shall be

allocated by the department to the selected administrator.

(b) Use of funds.--The selected administrator shall use the

funds to provide compensation to a participating nonpublic

school as reimbursement for costs incurred during the previous

school year for the services of an eligible educator under the

program. The secretary shall establish the amount of each grant

awarded to a participating nonpublic school using the following

calculation:

(1) An eligible educator shall receive an amount equal

to the educator's hourly wage multiplied by the number of

hours the educator teaches STEM classes at a nonpublic school

under the program multiplied by a factor of 1.25 to account

for preparatory time.

(2) In the event that sufficient money is not

appropriated to fully fund the compensation to be provided to

eligible educators under paragraph (1), the secretary shall

apportion the amount appropriated for the implementation of

this article among the eligible educators in proportion to

the compensation each participating eligible educator would

have received had the full amount been appropriated.

(1) Money appropriated to the department for the program

shall be used exclusively for the hiring of eligible

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educators to teach STEM subjects at a participating nonpublic

school. The eligible educator shall teach only the classes

stipulated under the program.

(2) The program may not infringe on the collective

bargaining agreement between the majority representative of

the collective negotiations unit in which the eligible

educator is a member and the school district in which the

educator is employed.

(3) At the conclusion of each school year, a nonpublic

school participating in the program shall submit a report to

the secretary containing information on the implementation of

the program in the nonpublic school. The report shall

include:

(i) The days and classroom hours that the eligible

educator taught in the nonpublic school.

(ii) Any scheduling obstacles that were encountered

and how they were addressed.

(iii) Any recommendations to improve the program and

the effectiveness of the program.

(iv) Any other information pertinent to the program.

Section 1506-N. Appropriation.

The sum of $1,000,000 is appropriated from the General Fund

to the department for the purposes of this article. The

appropriation under this section shall not lapse.

Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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