Pennsylvania Act 2005-55 — PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE OF 1949 - TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND INFORMATION PROVIDED BY DEPARTMENT

Act text

Session of 2005

No. 2005-55

SB 147

AN ACT

Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An act relating to the public school system, including certain provisions applicable as well to private and parochial schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the laws relating thereto," providing for technical assistance and information provided by department.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a section to read:

Section 116. Technical Assistance and Information Provided by Department of Education.--(a) A school district or school identified for warning, school improvement or corrective action shall be eligible for technical assistance from the Department of Education.

(b) Within ten (10) days of a request from the board of school directors of an eligible school district, the Department of Education shall provide technical assistance to the school district or any school within the school district identified for warning, school improvement or corrective action. Such technical assistance shall include, but shall not be limited to:

(1) Assistance to analyze data from the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment test or any other test established by the State Board of Education for the purpose of assessing student progress toward or attainment of an academic performance target.

(2) Assistance to identify and implement professional development and instructional strategies and methods to improve the academic performance of students in subject areas for which an academic performance target has been established and has not been met.

(3) Assistance to analyze the school district's budget or parts thereof to enable the school district to more effectively allocate its resources.

(4) Identification, training and assignment of educational advisors to schools eligible for school improvement or corrective action.

(5) Identification and implementation of professional development and instructional strategies and methods to improve the academic performance of students who are classified as students with disabilities, as limited English proficient students or as students who have been enrolled in a school district for less than two (2) school years.

(c) The Department of Education shall establish a clearinghouse of information related to specific strategies for improving the academic performance of students in eligible school districts. Such clearinghouse shall include best practices, methods and instructional strategies based on scientific research, including, but not limited to:

(1) Parental involvement programs and policies.

(2) Classroom instructional strategies.

(3) Curriculum redesign.

(4) School safety.

(5) Tutoring programs.

(d) In order to fulfill its duties under this section, the Department of Education may, in consultation with a school district, assign personnel of the Department of Education or contract with outside providers to ensure that the requirements of subsection (b) are met.

(e) Nothing contained in this section shall supersede or preempt any provision of a collective bargaining agreement between a school district and an employe organization.

Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

APPROVED--The 14th day of July, A. D. 2005.

EDWARD G. RENDELL