Archived Updates
Below is a list of recent Education Updates (pdf). CLICK HERE for the current Update.
December 3
New federal lawsuit concerns lack of civics education as a civil rights issue; report finds rising number of children with no health insurance access
November 26
Study of state date find disparity between number of women working in schools and number of women superintendents; group of students in PA district appeal decision on transgender policy to U.S. Supreme Court
November 19
Independent Fiscal Office predicts challenges with the 2019-20 state budget; teacher union files lawsuit challenging school district policy providing for armed school staff
November 12
Wolf, Casey reelected for another term; Democrats make gains in state Capitol, Congress
November 5
Capitol empty as lawmakers prepare for tomorrow's election; study finds inequities in student access to advanced courses
October 29
Governor signs graduation requirements bill into law; PDE releases 2017-18 PSSA, Keystone test results
October 22
Governor Wolf poised to sign graduation requirements bill; lawmakers wrap up 2017-18 legislative session with numerous bills sent to the governor - and some failing to gain final approval
October 15
Lawmakers prepare for last voting session week in the 2017-18 session, with many bills under consideration; graduation requirements bill set for final passage this week
October 8
Legislative activity continues to ramp up with limited session days remaining; graduation requirements, certificate grade spans, among bills moving through the process
October 1
House poised to act on graduation requirements bill; legislative activity ramps up as lawmakers rush to pass numerous bills before session ends
September 24
Legislature returns this week for limited session days – and a very full agenda, including consideration of graduation requirements bill; deadlines approaching for school safety grants, reporting costs of mold remediation
September 17
School safety grant application deadlines approaching fast, PDE sets Act 1 index for 2019-20
September 10
Quality Counts report finds continuing achievement gap; poll finds fewer adults want their children to become teachers
August 27
School safety, school funding the top issues again this week as students across the nation return to school
August 20
School safety remains top issue going into the 2018-19 school year; school funding and inequities continue as a focus across the commonwealth
August 13
PA school district offering new program in artificial intelligence; statistics find decreased interest in teaching profession nationwide
August 6
Publication of blueprints for home-manufactured plastic guns leads to concerns over public, school safety; July's state revenue comes in stronger than anticipated
July 30
Appeals court denies request for full court hearing on transgender/school restroom facilities policy in Pennsylvania school district; federal Perkins Act reauthorized
July 23
PIAA, proposals to change the competitive balance in high school athletics are 'hot' summer topics; report finds on-screem time may affect attention span
July 9
Update to school funding lawsuit finds growing spending inequalities among school districts; report finds Gates Foundation teacher quality initiative fails to reach its goals
July 2
U.S. Supreme Court rules against fair-share union fees; PA School Safety Task Force releases preliminary findings, themes from regional roundtables
June 25
Governor signs $32.7 billion 2018-19 budget bill into law, along with School Code, school safety legislation; PASA White Paper on online education finds wide disparity between cybert charter costs and district-run costs statewide
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