Archived Updates

Below is a list of recent Education Updates (pdf).  CLICK HERE for the current Update.

June 18
Action picks up at the Capitol as lawmakers work toward (perhaps) an early budget; numerous education bills moving in both the House and Senate, including Senate approval of a bill that would eliminate the use of Keystone Exams for graduation purposes

June 11
PASA/PASBO school district budget report finds ongoing financial stress for school districts; legislative action picks up steam as June 30 budget deadline nears

June 4
Legislative action on the budget, education issues set to pick up now that June is here; state, federal courts rule on civil rights for transgender students

May 21
SB 2 scheduled for committee vote this week; school shooting in Texas leaves eight students, two teachers dead

May 14
PA Court rejects arguments against continuation of school funding lawsuit; Impact Aid voucher fight continues in Washington

May 7
General Assembly in recess for two weeks, with state budget, action on education issues on the upcoming agenda; another property tax reform bill introduced

April 30
Action deferred on SB 2 until after the May primary; House has full schedule this week, including consideration of CT bills

April 23
Senate Education Committee poised to consider and approve voucher bill; PDE offers guidance on charter school tuition calculations

April 16
Numerous C-T bills on House Education Committee schedule this week, while Senate Education Committee plans hearings on collective bargaining; Nation's Report Card finds growing gap between top performers and struggling American students

April 9
House returns to session this week, as list of priority items for the spring continues to grow; study finds investments in public education can lead to more upward economic mobility

April 2
PDE pulling away from providing guidance on charter school tuition calculation, pointing to provisions under charter school current law; lawmakers currently in recess, but next few months could see action on Keystone Exams, vouchers and school safety issues

March 26
PA Senate in session this week, as the budget, school safety issue continue to move to the front of the legsilative agenda; federal budget now in place, providing increased funding for education

March 19
PASA Executive Director appointed to vice-chair Governor’s Task Force on School Safety, as discussion continues in Harrisburg on related issues; Senate to return to session this week, as work slowly begins on the 2018-19 budget

March 12
School safety remains top issue at state, national level; PA House to return to session this week, as budget push begins and the primary looms ahead

March 5
School safety issues remain at the forefront of discussion; state budget hearings focused this week on education

February 26
Schools, communities, lawmakers grapple with aftermath of tragic high school shooting in Florida; state budget hearings continue this week

February 12
Gov. Wolf unveils $32.9 billion budget proposal for 2018-19, with modest increases increases for education;  redrawing congressional maps remains 'hot' issue this week in Harrisburg

February 5
Gov. Wolf to unveil 2018-19 state budget proposal tomorrow, with modest increases for education; legislators focused this week on redrawing congressional maps

January 29
Threat of assessment appeals bill delayed - for now; school districts grappling with ESSA requirement on test participation rates 

January 22
2018 Quality Counts report ranks PA in top eight states; U.S. Department of Education approves PA ESSA Implementation Plan

January 8
State revenues, state ESSA plan dominate PA education news; federal tax changes, lack of CHIP reauthorization to impact students, public schools

2017

December 18
Senate Education Committee delays consideration of voucher bill; federal tax reform, net neutrality action a continuing concern for public education

December 11
Senate Education Committee to again consider voucher bill this week; tax reform a continuing concern for public education

December 4
House continues work on shale tax bill, tax reform, the federal budget, CHIP reauthorization dominate attention in Washington

November 27
House begins debate on shale tax bill before Thanksgiving recess; tax reform plans, controversy over net neutrality dominate talk in Washington

November 20
House to possibly take up shale tax bill this week, but outcome is questionable; state, federal tax reform issues dominate education concerns

November 13
With the budget done, House, Senate schedule periodic session weeks in November, December;  tax reform plans in Washington could spell trouble for public schools

November 6
Gov. Wolf allows School Code bill to become law, ending 2017-18 budget impasse; PDE clarifies recent federal actions to rescind some IDEA guidance documents

October 31
2017-18 budget nearly settled, with School Code bill the sole question mark; voucher bill fails to gain sufficient committee votes to reach the Senate floor 

October 23
House passes borrowing-heavy revenue plan to Senate for consideration, along with School Code bill; ALERT! Voucher bill set for consideration in Senate Education Committee tomorrow (Tuesday)

October 16
House Finance Committee cancels meeting to consider shale tax, a key issue in the budget debate; PSERS reports positive earnings for FY 2017, decline in the unfunded liability

October 9
PA budget remains unresolved as another attempt to reach consensus in the House fails; PDE issues guidance on enrolling displaced students from hurricane-affected areas

October 2
PA Supreme Court ruling: school funding lawsuit can go forward; state budget resolution inches toward a resolution - maybe