HB 819 — 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 continuing professional development; providing for access to rigorous courses of study for all students; establishing the Access to Rigorous Courses of Study for All Students Grant Program; and imposing duties on the Department of Education.

PRINTER'S NO.   926

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 819
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY MALAGARI, BELLMON, HILL-EVANS, GIRAL, MADDEN,
        FREEMAN, SANCHEZ, GUENST AND CERRATO, MARCH 13, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 13, 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 continuing professional development; providing
 7      for access to rigorous courses of study for all students;
 8      establishing the Access to Rigorous Courses of Study for All
 9      Students Grant Program; and imposing duties on the Department
10      of Education.
11      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
12   hereby enacts as follows:
13      Section 1.    Section 1205.1(c.1)(3) of the act of March 10,
14   1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
15   is amended to read:
16      Section 1205.1.    Continuing Professional Development.--* * *
17      (c.1)   The continuing professional education plan shall
18   specify the professional education needs that will be met by
19   completion of each continuing professional education option and
20   how it relates to areas of assignment and certification or
21   potential administrative certification. The options may include,
22   but shall not be limited to:
 1      * * *
 2      (3)    Other programs, activities or learning experiences taken
 3   for credit or hourly, to include:
 4      (i)    curriculum development and other program design and
 5   delivery activities at the school entity or grade level as
 6   determined by the school entity and approved by the board of
 7   directors;
 8      (ii)    participation in professional conferences and
 9   workshops;
10      (iii)     education in the workplace, where the work relates to
11   the professional educator's area of assignment and is approved
12   by the board of directors;
13      (iv)    review, redesign and restructuring of school programs,
14   organizations and functions as determined by the school entity
15   and approved by the board of directors;
16      (v)    in-service programs that comply with guidelines
17   established by the department;
18      (vi)    early childhood and child development activities for
19   professional educators whose area of assignment includes
20   kindergarten through third grade;
21      (vii)     special education activities for professional
22   educators whose area of assignment includes students with
23   special needs;
24      (viii)    successful completion of department training for
25   service as a Distinguished Educator if the professional educator
26   participates in and completes at least one assignment in the
27   Distinguished Educators Program;
28      (ix)    other continuing professional education courses,
29   programs, activities or learning experiences sponsored by the
30   department; [or]

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 1      (x)    visits by educators to a manufacturing workplace for
 2   orientation and demonstrations to give the professional educator
 3   a greater understanding of job opportunities in manufacturing
 4   for students[.]; or
 5      (xi)    providing opportunities for educators to serve as
 6   rigorous course of study coaches to support teachers in
 7   delivering high-quality rigorous courses of study. For the
 8   purposes of this subparagraph, the term "rigorous course of
 9   study" shall have the same meaning as in section 1702-E.
10      * * *
11      Section 2.     The act is amended by adding an article to read:
12                               ARTICLE XVII-E
13            ACCESS TO RIGOROUS COURSES OF STUDY FOR ALL STUDENTS
14   Section 1701-E.    Scope of article.
15      This article relates to access to rigorous courses of study
16   for all students.
17   Section 1702-E.    Definitions.
18      The following words and phrases when used in this article
19   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
20   context clearly indicates otherwise:
21      "Core academic areas."     Mathematics, English language arts,
22   science, social studies and computer science.
23      "Department."     The Department of Education of the
24   Commonwealth.
25      "Educator."     A "professional employe," "temporary
26   professional employe" or "substitute" as those terms are defined
27   in section 1101.
28      "Educator training entity."       An institution of higher
29   education, intermediate unit or other organization approved by
30   the department to train educators to teach rigorous courses of

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 1   study.
 2      "Eligible educator."     An educator who is certified in the
 3   subject area of the rigorous course of study that the educator
 4   will be teaching.
 5      "Eligible school entity."     A school entity that does not meet
 6   the minimum benchmarks for rigorous course of study offerings
 7   established by the department under section 1703-E(c)(2)(i) or
 8   is unable to offer a rigorous course of study due to the
 9   retirement, departure or other loss of an educator who teaches a
10   rigorous course of study.
11      "Exam fee."    The amount required to take an exam associated
12   with a rigorous course of study.
13      "Institution of higher education."     The term includes any of
14   the following:
15            (1)   A community college operating under Article XIX-A.
16            (2)   A university within the State System of Higher
17      Education under Article XX-A.
18            (3)   A State-related institution as defined in section
19      1502-A.
20            (4)   Any accredited nonprofit public, private or
21      independent college or university.
22      "Program."    The Access to Rigorous Courses of Study for All
23   Students Grant Program established under section 1704-E.
24      "Rigorous course of study."     An academically rigorous
25   college-level course, including Advanced Placement,
26   International Baccalaureate, Cambridge International, dual
27   credit or a concentrated career and technical education program,
28   delivered to secondary students by an eligible educator that may
29   include an end-of-course exam that qualifies students to earn
30   college credit for prior learning.

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 1      "School entity."       A school district, area career and
 2   technical school, cyber charter school, charter school, regional
 3   charter school or intermediate unit operating in this
 4   Commonwealth.
 5      "Secondary student."       A student in grades seven through
 6   twelve who is enrolled in a school entity.
 7      "Virtual learning instruction."         The provision of academic
 8   courses and instruction to students through the Internet or the
 9   use of video or audio technology by an educator.
10   Section 1703-E.       Equitable access to rigorous courses of study.
11      (a)   Access.--Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each
12   school entity receiving a grant under section 1704-E(b) shall
13   provide secondary students with expanded opportunities to enroll
14   in rigorous courses of study as well as exam fee assistance, as
15   appropriate.
16      (b)   Supplement.--If possible the rigorous courses of study
17   offered by an institution of higher education, through an
18   agreement shall supplement, not supplant courses offered by the
19   school entity or the secondary school students. An agreement
20   under this subsection shall encompass the same parameters under
21   section 1525(a).
22      (c)   Duties.--
23            (1)   Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, and each
24      year thereafter, each school entity shall report the
25      following to the department, in a manner determined by the
26      department:
27                  (i)    All rigorous courses of study disaggregated by
28            type that are available to the school entity's secondary
29            students for the current school year.
30                  (ii)   Students participating in rigorous courses of

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 1            study, disaggregated by type, by student group.
 2                  (iii)    Students who complete rigorous courses of
 3            study, disaggregated by type, by student group.
 4                  (iv)    Students who took an end-of-course exam in a
 5            rigorous course of study, by student group, type of exam
 6            and score received.
 7                  (v)    The number of college-level credits earned by
 8            each student enrolled in a dual-credit course, by student
 9            group.
10            (2)   No later than December 1, 2026, and every five years
11      thereafter, the department shall:
12                  (i)    Establish benchmarks to improve secondary
13            student access to and enrollment in rigorous courses of
14            study.
15                  (ii)    Identify school entities that require technical
16            assistance to improve secondary student access to and
17            enrollment in rigorous courses of study.
18                  (iii)    Prepare a report containing the information
19            provided under paragraph (1), as well as the benchmarks
20            established and school entities identified under
21            subparagraphs (i) and (ii), and post the report on the
22            department's publicly accessible Internet website.
23            Beginning with the report required to be posted on
24            December 1, 2029, the report shall include an explanation
25            of whether school entities in this Commonwealth are
26            progressing or regressing in improving secondary student
27            access to and enrollment in rigorous courses of study.
28   Section 1704-E.        Access to Rigorous Courses of Study for All
29                  Students Grant Program.
30      (a)   Purpose.--Subject to funding being appropriated for this

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 1   purpose, the Access to Rigorous Courses of Study for All
 2   Students Grant Program is established in the department to help
 3   ensure that all school entities have properly trained educators
 4   to meet the rigorous courses of study benchmarks established
 5   under section 1703-E(c)(2)(i) and to provide rigorous courses of
 6   study exam fee assistance to students.
 7      (b)   Educator training grants to school entities.--
 8            (1)   A school entity that does not meet a minimum
 9      rigorous course benchmark established by the department under
10      section 1703-E(c)(2)(i) shall be eligible for annual grants
11      for a maximum of five consecutive years to train educators to
12      teach rigorous courses of study to enable the school entity
13      to meet the benchmark and further expand access to rigorous
14      courses of study beyond the benchmark over the five-year
15      grant period.
16            (2)   The department may limit the number of educators per
17      school building within an eligible school entity for whom the
18      eligible school entity may receive an educator training
19      grant.
20            (3)   Multiple eligible school entities may apply jointly
21      for an educator training grant under the program if the
22      educators to be trained will provide instruction in more than
23      one eligible school entity through classroom instruction or
24      virtual learning instruction.
25            (4)   The department shall develop an application process
26      and application form for an eligible school entity seeking an
27      educator training grant under the program. The application
28      form shall include the following:
29                  (i)   The subject areas in which the eligible school
30            entity currently has rigorous courses of study offerings.

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 1              (ii)    The subject areas in which the eligible school
 2        entity does not have rigorous courses of study offerings.
 3              (iii)    The eligible school entity's plan to expand
 4        and increase rigorous courses of study participation
 5        within the eligible school entity, including for student
 6        populations that have been traditionally underserved, and
 7        how an educator training grant will help expedite the
 8        eligible school entity's progress toward its rigorous
 9        course of study participation goals.
10              (iv)    The following information:
11                     (A)   The names of the eligible educators to be
12              trained using educator training grant proceeds.
13                     (B)   The school buildings within the eligible
14              school entity where the eligible educators will
15              teach.
16                     (C)   The rigorous course of study subject areas
17              in which the eligible educators will provide
18              instruction.
19                     (D)   Whether the instruction will be provided
20              through traditional classroom instruction or virtual
21              learning instruction.
22              (v)    The names of the educator training entities that
23        will train the eligible educators to teach rigorous
24        courses of study.
25              (vi)    An agreement that the eligible school entity
26        will commit to offering the rigorous courses of study to
27        secondary students for at least five years.
28        (5)   By June 30 of each year, each school entity that
29    receives an educator training grant under this section shall
30    report to the department the following for the immediately

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 1      preceding school year in a form and manner determined by the
 2      department:
 3                  (i)    Students who enrolled in rigorous courses of
 4            study taught by an educator who received training funded
 5            by the grant and the number of students who completed the
 6            rigorous course of study.
 7                  (ii)    The number of students who took an end-of-
 8            course exam in rigorous courses of study taught by an
 9            educator who received training funded by the grant.
10                  (iii)    The grade levels in which rigorous courses of
11            study were taught.
12                  (iv)    The number of educators who received training
13            funded by the grant who taught rigorous courses of study,
14            disaggregated by type within the school entity.
15                  (v)    The number and percentage of secondary students
16            who achieve a qualifying score, reported separately, from
17            a rigorous course of study exam at school entities.
18                  (vi)    The number and percentage of secondary students
19            who complete rigorous courses of study for dual
20            postsecondary credit, but within a school entity.
21            (6)   The requirements of this section are subject to
22      funding being appropriated for this purpose.
23      (c)   Student exam fee subsidy.--Subject to funding being
24   appropriated for this purpose, beginning with the 2025-2026
25   school year, the department shall provide rigorous course of
26   study exam fee assistance in accordance with the following:
27            (1)   To the extent funding is available, the department
28      shall provide funding to school entities to subsidize the
29      cost for students to take end-of-course exams that lead to
30      the awarding of post-secondary credit, certification or

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 1      licensure.
 2            (2)   On an annual basis, each school entity shall certify
 3      to the department the amount of funding due under paragraph
 4      (1) in accordance with guidelines developed by the department
 5      and posted on the department's publicly accessible Internet
 6      website.
 7   Section 1705-E.    Powers and duties of department.
 8      (a)   Rules.--The department shall establish guidelines and
 9   procedures necessary for the implementation of this article.
10      (b)   Report.--By September 1, 2027, and every five years
11   thereafter, the department shall issue a report on the program
12   to the General Assembly that includes:
13            (1)   The number of educators in school entities who
14      received training in rigorous course instruction by type and
15      subject.
16            (2)   The number and percentage of schools enrolling
17      secondary students that offer rigorous courses of study over
18      the five-year grant period.
19            (3)   The number and percentage of secondary students who
20      completed rigorous courses of study at school entities.
21            (4)   The number and percentage of secondary students who
22      achieved a qualifying score, reported separately, from a
23      rigorous course of study exam at school entities.
24            (5)   The number and percentage of institutions of higher
25      education located within this Commonwealth that provide post-
26      secondary credit for rigorous courses of study exam scores.
27            (6)   The names of the school entities and high schools
28      that do not offer rigorous courses of study or are below the
29      minimum benchmark established by the department under section
30      1703-E(c)(2)(i).

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 1            (7)   The number and percentage of secondary students who
 2      completed rigorous courses of study at the institution of
 3      higher education for dual credit.
 4            (8)   The number and percentage of institutions of higher
 5      education located in this Commonwealth that provide dual
 6      credit for rigorous courses of study.
 7            (9)   The number of educators who were trained to teach
 8      rigorous courses of study outside the core academic areas who
 9      are teaching other rigorous courses of study.
10   Section 1706-E.    Program funding.
11      (a)   Funding.--Funding for the program, except for dual
12   credit, shall be made from annual appropriations made by the
13   General Assembly to the department for that purpose, as well as
14   available Federal funds or funds from private sources.
15      (b)   Priorities.--In the event of insufficient funds in any
16   fiscal year, the department shall prioritize funding based on
17   the number and percent of low-income students enrolled in the
18   eligible school entity's poverty level and deficiency in
19   providing rigorous course of study opportunities as compared to
20   the benchmark established by the department under section 1703-
21   E(c)(2)(i).
22   Section 1707-E.    Rights of school employees.
23      Nothing in this article shall be construed to supersede or
24   preempt the rights, remedies and procedures afforded to school
25   employees or labor organizations under Federal or State law,
26   including the act of July 23, 1970 (P.L.563, No.195), known as
27   the Public Employe Relations Act, or any provision of a
28   collective bargaining agreement negotiated between a school
29   employer and an exclusive representative of the employees in
30   accordance with that act.

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1     Section 3.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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