HB 1404 — 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 certificates qualifying persons to teach, for standard employment application, for career and technical instructional certificate and for postbaccalaureate certification; and abrogating regulations.

PRINTER'S NO.     1603

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1404
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY CURRY, SANCHEZ, MERSKI, PROBST, PIELLI,
        SCHLOSSBERG, BOROWSKI, PROKOPIAK, HILL-EVANS, RIVERA, GUENST,
        DONAHUE, ISAACSON, WARREN, PARKER, 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 certificates qualifying persons to teach, for
 7      standard employment application, for career and technical
 8      instructional certificate and for postbaccalaureate
 9      certification; and abrogating regulations.
10      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11   hereby enacts as follows:
12      Section 1.    Sections 1201 and 1204.1(a) of the act of March
13   10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of
14   1949, are amended to read:
15      Section 1201.    Certificates Qualifying Persons to Teach.--
16   Only those persons holding one of the following certificates
17   shall be qualified to teach in the public schools of this
18   Commonwealth--(1) Permanent college certificate, (2) provisional
19   college certificate, (3) normal school diploma, (4) normal
20   school certificate, (5) special permanent certificate, (6)
 1   special temporary certificate, (7) permanent State certificate,
 2   (8) residency certificate, (9) [intern] second career
 3   certificate, (10) certificates which are permanent licenses to
 4   teach by virtue of the provisions of section one thousand three
 5   hundred eight of the act, approved the eighteenth day of May,
 6   one thousand nine hundred eleven (Pamphlet Laws 309), as
 7   amended, which is repealed hereby, or (11) such other kinds of
 8   certificates as are issued under the standards prescribed by the
 9   State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall
10   also provide for issuance of certificates by district
11   superintendents to meet such emergencies or shortage of teachers
12   as may occur.
13      Section 1204.1.    Standard Employment Application.--(a)   The
14   Secretary of Education, in consultation with organizations
15   representing school administrators, including personnel
16   administrators, teachers and school boards, shall develop a
17   standard employment application form for use by individuals
18   eligible for or in possession of instructional, career and
19   technical instructional, [intern] second career or career and
20   technical [intern] second career teaching certificates in making
21   application for employment with school districts within this
22   Commonwealth.
23      * * *
24      Section 2.   Section 1204.2(b) introductory paragraph of the
25   act, amended July 11, 2024 (P.L.618, No.55), is amended and the
26   section is amended by adding subsections to read:
27      Section 1204.2.    Career and Technical Instructional
28   Certificate.--* * *
29      (b)   In addition to other requirements promulgated by the
30   State Board of Education, the Department of Education shall

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 1   issue a Career and Technical [Intern] Second Career Certificate
 2   under 22 Pa. Code § 49.151 (relating to eligibility and
 3   criteria) to an individual seeking a position with the primary
 4   responsibility of teaching occupational skills in State-approved
 5   career and technical education programs in the public schools of
 6   this Commonwealth if the individual presents any of the
 7   following:
 8      * * *
 9      (b.2)     The Career and Technical Second Career Certificate
10   shall be issued for the period of time needed by an individual
11   to complete eighteen (18) semester hours within a career and
12   technical educator preparation program approved by the
13   Department of Education, but in no case may the period of time
14   exceed five (5) years from the date of issuance.
15      (b.3)     In addition to any other requirement promulgated by
16   the State Board of Education, the Department of Education shall
17   issue a Career and Technical Intern Certificate under 22 Pa.
18   Code § 49.151 to an individual securing recognition of
19   occupational competency upon the basis of credential review and
20   adequate work experience beyond the learning period as
21   established by the department in a competency area whether or
22   not an occupational competency examination exists.
23      (b.4)     In addition to any other requirement promulgated by
24   the State Board of Education, the Department of Education shall
25   issue a Career and Technical Instructional Certificate under 22
26   Pa. Code § 49.142 to an individual securing recognition of
27   occupational competency upon the basis of credential review and
28   adequate work experience beyond the learning period as
29   established by the department in a competency area whether or
30   not an occupational competency examination exists.

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 1      * * *
 2      Section 3.   Section 1207.1(a)(1) and (c) of the act are
 3   amended to read:
 4      Section 1207.1.   Postbaccalaureate Certification.--(a)
 5   Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the
 6   Secretary of Education shall have all of the following powers
 7   and duties with regard to postbaccalaureate certification
 8   programs:
 9      (1)   Evaluate and approve, in accordance with this section,
10   all postbaccalaureate certification programs, including
11   accelerated programs, leading to the certification of
12   professional personnel including [intern] second career
13   certification programs, residency certification programs and
14   administrative certification programs.
15      * * *
16      (c)   (1)   Postbaccalaureate instructional [intern] second
17   career certification programs shall provide flexible and
18   accelerated pedagogical training to teachers who have
19   demonstrated subject matter competency in a subject area related
20   to their certification.
21      (2)   The Secretary of Education may make a one-time issuance
22   of a postbaccalaureate instructional [intern] second career
23   certificate for service in a specific area of instruction to
24   candidates who, in addition to meeting the requirements of
25   section 1209, present evidence of satisfactory achievement on
26   the department-prescribed subject matter assessments related to
27   the area of certification and hold a bachelor's degree from an
28   accredited college or university. This certificate shall require
29   continuing enrollment in an approved postbaccalaureate
30   instructional [intern] second career certification program.

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 1         (3)   A postbaccalaureate instructional [intern] second career
 2   certificate shall be valid for [three (3)] five (5) years of
 3   teaching in the public schools of this Commonwealth and may not
 4   be renewed.
 5         (4)   A candidate shall be issued an Instructional I
 6   Certificate upon successful completion of the approved
 7   postbaccalaureate instructional [intern] second career program
 8   provided that the candidate has satisfied the requirements of
 9   section 1209.
10         * * *
11         Section 4.   An individual to whom the Department of Education
12   has issued an intern certificate or career and technical intern
13   certificate prior to the effective date of this section and
14   which certificate is valid on the effective of this section
15   shall be deemed to hold a second career certificate or career
16   and technical second career certificate, as applicable, under
17   the act and the regulations promulgated under 22 Pa. Code Ch.
18   49.
19         Section 5.   The regulations at 22 Pa. Code Ch. 49 are
20   abrogated to the extent of any inconsistency with this act.
21         Section 6.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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