HB 203 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, further providing for days schools not to be kept open and for additional holidays and vacations.

PRINTER'S NO.   151

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 203
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY CIRESI, SANCHEZ, KAZEEM, PIELLI, GIRAL, WARNER,
        PROBST, GUENST, HOWARD, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, HOHENSTEIN, DELLOSO,
        MALAGARI, FREEMAN, DONAHUE AND HILL-EVANS, JANUARY 17, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 17, 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 terms and courses of study,
 6      further providing for days schools not to be kept open and
 7      for additional holidays and vacations.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.    Sections 1502(a) and 1503 of the act of March 10,
11   1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
12   are amended to read:
13      Section 1502.    Days Schools not to be Kept Open.--(a)   Except
14   as provided in subsection (c), no school shall be kept open on
15   any Saturday for the purpose of ordinary instruction, except
16   when Monday is fixed by the board of school directors as the
17   weekly holiday, or on Sunday, Memorial Day, Fourth of July,
18   [Christmas, Thanksgiving,] Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving,
19   Christmas, the First of January and up to five additional days
20   designated as local holidays in the adopted school calendar by
 1   the board of school directors as official local school district
 2   holidays, nor shall any school be kept open in any district
 3   during the time of holding the teachers' institute for such
 4   district. The board of school directors may cancel any day
 5   designated as a local holiday in the event of a weather
 6   emergency or natural disaster.
 7      * * *
 8      Section 1503.   Additional Holidays; Vacations.--The board of
 9   school directors in any district shall, by a majority vote,
10   decide which other holidays may be observed by special
11   exercises, and on which holidays, if any, the schools shall be
12   closed during the whole or part of the day. [The board of school
13   directors of each district shall require that each school within
14   such district observes Veterans' Day by special exercises.] The
15   board of school directors may provide for such vacations in its
16   district as it deems wise. No days on which the schools are
17   closed shall be counted as days taught.
18      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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