HB 1403 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in certification of teachers, further providing for program of continuing professional and paraprofessional education.

PRINTER'S NO.   1602

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1403
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY BOROWSKI, MERSKI, SANCHEZ, PROBST, HOWARD, PIELLI,
        SCHLOSSBERG, PROKOPIAK, HILL-EVANS, GIRAL, RIVERA, DONAHUE,
        ISAACSON, WARREN, NEILSON, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, O'MARA, OTTEN,
        TAKAC AND SCHWEYER, MAY 5, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 5, 2025


                                    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," in certification of teachers, further
 6      providing for program of continuing professional and
 7      paraprofessional education.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.    Section 1205.2(k) introductory paragraph and (2)
11   of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the
12   Public School Code of 1949, are amended and the subsection is
13   amended by adding paragraphs to read:
14      Section 1205.2.    Program of Continuing Professional and
15   Paraprofessional Education.--* * *
16      (k)   A professional educator who is not employed by a school
17   entity as a professional or temporary professional employe may
18   apply to the department for inactive certification[.], which
19   shall be granted by the department at no cost to the
 1   professional educator. Inactive certification shall:
 2      * * *
 3      (2)   Except as provided under [paragraph] paragraphs (2.1)
 4   and (2.2), be removed by the department upon the application of
 5   the professional educator and evidence of the completion of
 6   thirty (30) hours of continuing professional education within
 7   the immediate preceding [twelve (12)] eighteen (18) months. The
 8   department shall establish guidelines to approve courses that
 9   will authorize the removal of inactive certification.
10      * * *
11      (2.2)   Be removed by the department upon the application of
12   the professional educator and evidence that the professional
13   educator has received an offer of employment from a school
14   entity that has committed to provide the professional educator
15   with thirty (30) hours of in-service continuing professional
16   education within the professional educator's first two school
17   years of employment.
18      (2.3)   Upon the removal of inactive certification under
19   paragraph (2.1) or (2.2), a professional educator shall have the
20   same number of hours of continuing professional education and
21   the same amount of time in which to complete the hours as
22   existed for the professional educator at the time inactive
23   certification was granted. In the case of a professional
24   educator whose certificate was placed on inactive status by the
25   department due to the expiration of the professional educator's
26   compliance period, the professional educator shall begin a new
27   five-year compliance period to satisfy the requirements of
28   subsection (a).
29      * * *
30      Section 2.     This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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