HB 1407 — 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 instructional certificate grade spans and age levels and duties of department and providing for instructional certificate grade spans and age levels; and abrogating a regulation .

PRINTER'S NO.    1605

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1407
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY N. NELSON, RIVERA, SCHLOSSBERG, HANBIDGE, GIRAL,
        SANCHEZ, OTTEN, PROKOPIAK, TAKAC, ISAACSON, O'MARA, SCHWEYER,
        PROBST, BOROWSKI AND ABNEY, 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 instructional certificate grade spans and age
 7      levels and duties of department and providing for
 8      instructional certificate grade spans and age levels.
 9      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
10   hereby enacts as follows:
11      Section 1.    Section 1202.1 heading and (b)(1)(i) of the act
12   of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School
13   Code of 1949, are amended to read:
14      Section 1202.1.    [Instructional] Special Education
15   Certificate Grade Spans and Age Levels and Duties of
16   Department.--* * *
17      (b)    The Department of Education shall have the following
18   duties:
19      (1)    Within sixty (60) days of the effective date of this
20   subsection:
 1      (i)   (A)    Notify all teacher preparation programs approved by
 2   the Department of Education, all individuals enrolled in these
 3   programs and all individuals holding an early childhood
 4   certificate under 22 Pa. Code § 49.85(b)(1) that an individual
 5   holding or seeking an early childhood certificate may, by
 6   attaining qualifying scores on the assessment made available by
 7   the Department of Education, extend the grade span for the
 8   individual's early childhood certificate to include grades five
 9   and six and include and maintain notice of the availability of
10   the assessment on the publicly accessible Internet website of
11   the Department of Education with other information describing
12   certification requirements.
13      (B)   This subparagraph shall expire three years from the
14   effective date of this clause.
15      * * *
16      Section 2.    The act is amended by adding a section to read:
17      Section 1202.2.    Instructional Certificate Grade Spans and
18   Age Levels.--(a)    Notwithstanding 22 Pa. Code § 49.85 (relating
19   to limitations), the grade spans and age levels for
20   instructional certificates issued after June 1, 2027, shall be
21   as follows:
22      (1)   Primary - prekindergarten, kindergarten, grades one
23   through six or ages three (3) through eleven (11).
24      (2)   Secondary - grades six through twelve or ages eleven
25   (11) through twenty-one (21).
26      (3)   Specialized areas - prekindergarten through grade twelve
27   or ages three (3) through twenty-one (21).
28      (b)   Certificates issued in accordance with 22 Pa. Code §
29   49.85(a), (b) and (d) shall remain valid for the term of the
30   certificate.

20250HB1407PN1605                    - 2 -
 1      (c)   An individual holding:
 2      (1)   An Early Childhood instructional certificate issued in
 3   accordance with 22 Pa. Code § 49.85(b)(1) or (d)(1) shall have
 4   two pathways to expand the scope of the individual's certificate
 5   to meet the grade levels covered under subsection (a)(1) by a
 6   process determined by the Department of Education, which shall
 7   be limited to continuing education credits for a specific
 8   certification level or by attaining qualifying scores on the
 9   assessment made available by the Department of Education.
10      (2)   An Elementary/Middle instructional certificate issued in
11   accordance with 22 Pa. Code § 49.85(b)(2) or (d)(2) shall have
12   two pathways to expand the scope of the individual's certificate
13   to meet the grade levels covered under subsection (a)(2) by a
14   process determined by the Department of Education, which shall
15   be limited to continuing education credits for a specific
16   certification level or by attaining qualifying scores on the
17   assessment made available by the Department of Education.
18      (d)   Notwithstanding subsection (a), an approved educator
19   preparation program may permit an individual enrolled in a
20   program prior to December 31, 2025, and remaining continuously
21   enrolled to complete the program for the grade level limitations
22   provided under 22 Pa. Code § 49.85(d). The department may issue
23   the appropriate Elementary/Middle instructional certificates to
24   an applicant who completes the program and meets all other
25   certification requirements. Beginning after December 31, 2025,
26   an educator preparation program approved by the department shall
27   no longer accept new candidates seeking a certificate under 22
28   Pa. Code § 49.85(d)(2).
29      Section 3.    The regulations at 22 Pa. Code § 49.85(c) and (d)
30   are abrogated.

20250HB1407PN1605                   - 3 -
1      Section 4.   The amendment or addition of sections 1202.1
2   heading and (b)(1)(i) and 1202.2 of the act shall apply
3   beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year.
4      Section 5.   This act shall take effect as follows:
5          (1)   Section 3 shall take effect in three years.
6          (2)   The remainder of this act shall take effect
7      immediately.




20250HB1407PN1605                 - 4 -