HB 248 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in duties and powers of boards of school directors, providing for parental notification and permission for participation in clubs and organizations.

PRINTER'S NO.    198

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 248
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY SCIALABBA, LEADBETER, M. MACKENZIE, STAATS,
        M. JONES, BERNSTINE, ZIMMERMAN, DAY AND WALSH,
        JANUARY 22, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 22, 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 duties and powers of boards of
 6      school directors, providing for parental notification and
 7      permission for participation in clubs and organizations.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.    The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
11   as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
12   section to read:
13      Section 511.1.    Parental Notification and Permission for
14   Participation in Clubs and Organizations.--(a)    In addition to
15   the requirements of section 511, the governing board of a school
16   entity shall include in the student code of conduct adopted in
17   accordance with 22 Pa. Code § 12.3 (relating to school rules)
18   information regarding school clubs and organizations as
19   described under subsection (b). The information shall also be
20   provided to parents or legal guardians in a manner that is most
 1   commonly used for other communications to parents or legal
 2   guardians and shall be posted on the school entity's publicly
 3   accessible Internet website at least two weeks prior to the
 4   start of the school year or, for a club or organization that is
 5   created after the start of the school year, at least two weeks
 6   prior to the first meeting or activity of the club or
 7   organization.
 8      (b)    The following information shall be provided to students
 9   and parents or legal guardians of students for a club or
10   organization:
11      (1)    A statement that a student may not participate in the
12   club or organization without the written permission of the
13   student's parent or legal guardian.
14      (2)    The name of the club or organization.
15      (3)    The mission or purpose of the club or organization with
16   sufficient detail to clearly describe the meetings and
17   activities of the club or organization.
18      (4)    The name of the faculty advisor for the club or
19   organization.
20      (5)    A description of past or planned meetings and
21   activities, including a description of meetings and activities
22   during the immediately preceding school year and a description
23   of meetings and activities planned for the current or upcoming
24   school year with sufficient detail to clearly describe the
25   meetings and activities.
26      (6)    A statement that a parent or legal guardian has the
27   right to attend a meeting or activity of a club or organization
28   unless good cause for the exclusion of the parent or legal
29   guardian is documented by the governing board of the school
30   entity.

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 1      (7)   A statement that a parent or legal guardian has a
 2   private right of action against the governing board of a school
 3   entity for wrongful exclusion.
 4      (c)   The governing board of a school entity may not permit a
 5   student to participate in a club or organization without
 6   specific written permission from the parent or legal guardian of
 7   the student for each club or organization.
 8      (d)   The parent or legal guardian may, at any time, withdraw
 9   permission in writing. Unless otherwise specified in writing,
10   the withdrawal of permission shall take effect immediately upon
11   delivery to a school official.
12      (e)   The school entity shall provide a written procedure and
13   a sample consent or withdrawal form in the school administration
14   office and on its publicly accessible Internet website, if the
15   school entity has one, for a parent or legal guardian to provide
16   or withdraw permission for the student of the parent or legal
17   guardian to participate or withdraw from participation in a club
18   or organization. The consent or withdrawal form shall not be
19   drafted or presented in a manner that makes it more complicated
20   to withhold or revoke consent than it is to grant consent.
21      (f)   For a club or organization created after the start of
22   the school year, the governing board of a school entity may
23   accept written permission from a parent or legal guardian of a
24   student only after the information required by subsection (b)
25   has been provided in advance, as required by subsection (a), to
26   the parents or legal guardians of all enrolled students.
27      (g)   The meetings and activities of a club or organization
28   must be conducted consistent with the information required under
29   subsection (b).
30      (h)   A parent or legal guardian of a student may not be

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 1   prohibited from attending a meeting or activity of a club or
 2   organization in which the student participates except for good
 3   cause which shall be documented by the governing board of the
 4   school entity and provided in writing to the parent or legal
 5   guardian.
 6      (i)    A parent or legal guardian of a student who has given
 7   permission in accordance with this section for the student to
 8   participate in a club or organization and who reasonably
 9   believes that the parent or legal guardian has been denied
10   attendance at the meeting or activity without good cause has a
11   private right of action against the governing body of the school
12   entity.
13      (j)    As used in this section, the following words and phrases
14   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
15   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
16      "Club or organization" shall mean a group of students who
17   wish to organize and meet for a common goal, objective or
18   purpose and which group is under the direct sponsorship,
19   direction and control of the school entity. The term includes an
20   activity reasonably related to the group, but does not include
21   an event held under the sponsorship of a school entity that
22   involves its students in competition between individuals or
23   groups representing two or more school entities. The term shall
24   include cheerleading, band and chorus.
25      "Governing board" shall mean the board of directors or board
26   of trustees of a school entity.
27      "School entity" shall mean a school district, intermediate
28   unit, area career and technical school, charter school, regional
29   charter school or cyber charter school.
30      "School official" shall include a teacher, school principal,

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1   school administrator or a designee.
2      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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