SB 28 — 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, providing for Black history education.

PRINTER'S NO.    10

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 28
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY STREET, TARTAGLIONE, SAVAL, KEARNEY, COSTA,
        HAYWOOD AND KANE, JANUARY 22, 2025

     REFERRED TO 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 terms and courses of study,
 6      providing for Black history education.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.     The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10   as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11   section to read:
12      Section 1556.    Black History Education.--(a)   The department
13   shall have the following duties:
14      (1)   Within three (3) months of the effective date of this
15   section, develop and disseminate material and other related
16   resources for school entities to integrate the history of the
17   Black experience in an appropriate required or elective course
18   of study curriculum. The instruction shall be age appropriate
19   and sequential.
20      (2)   Update and disseminate the material and other related
 1   resources under paragraph (1) as needed.
 2      (3)   Affix a link to the material and other related resources
 3   under paragraph (1), or any update of the material and other
 4   related resources, on the department's equity and inclusion
 5   publicly accessible Internet website or, if relabeled or
 6   discontinued, any similar type of publicly accessible Internet
 7   website maintained by the department.
 8      (4)   Develop guidelines for school entities that design a
 9   program or course of study dedicated to the instruction of the
10   history of the Black experience to submit a link to the
11   department to the program or course of study material and a
12   designated contact person for an interested person to obtain
13   additional information or assistance with designing a similar
14   program or course of study. The department shall affix the
15   submitted information on the department's equity and inclusion
16   publicly accessible Internet website or, if relabeled or
17   discontinued, any similar type of publicly accessible Internet
18   website maintained by the department.
19      (b)   A school entity may utilize the material and other
20   related resources developed by the department or any appropriate
21   public or private materials, personnel and other resources in
22   integrating the instruction into its curriculum under subsection
23   (a).
24      (c)   As used in this section, the following words and phrases
25   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
26   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
27      "Department."   The Department of Education of the
28   Commonwealth.
29      "School entity."   A school district, intermediate unit, area
30   career and technical school, charter school, cyber charter

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1   school, regional charter school or private or nonpublic school.
2      Section 2.   This act shall take effect immediately.




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