Pennsylvania 2023-2024 Regular Session

Pennsylvania House Bill HB114

Introduced
3/7/23  

Caption

In reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for student-weighted basic education funding and for special education payments to school districts.

Impact

The bill's implementation is likely to have a significant impact on the way education funding is distributed among school districts. It could lead to more equitable funding practices, whereby districts with a higher proportion of students needing additional resources receive the necessary financial support. This change is intended to mitigate issues that arise from funding inequalities that may leave some districts under-resourced, particularly those serving a larger number of students with special needs.

Summary

House Bill 114 is focused on enhancing reimbursements provided by the Commonwealth to school districts, particularly in relation to student-weighted basic education funding and special education payments. The aim of the bill is to ensure that resources allocated for education reflect the unique needs of students within different districts, with a particular emphasis on those requiring special education services. By addressing funding disparities, the bill seeks to promote equity in education financing across the state.

Sentiment

The sentiment around HB114 appears largely supportive among education advocates and lawmakers who prioritize equitable funding. However, there may be concerns from those who fear potential budget impacts or reallocations of funds that could affect other areas of public finance. The overall discourse suggests a commitment to improving educational outcomes through better funding mechanisms, but specific logistical challenges remain a topic of discussion.

Contention

While the bill garners support aimed at providing necessary funding to special education, there are concerns regarding how it may affect the budgets of other programs and services within school districts. Critics fear that redirecting funds to support HB114 could compromise resources for general education or other essential programs. Balancing the needs of special education with the overall educational budget poses a key point of contention that legislators will need to address as discussions around the bill continue.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

PA HB2307

In reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for extraordinary special education program expenses.

PA HB2285

In school health services, further providing for health services; and, in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for State reimbursement for health services.

PA HB840

In reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for Targeted Industry Cluster Certificate Scholarship Program.

PA HB1885

In terms and courses of study, providing for school swimming education program; in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, providing for payments on account of school swimming education program; and making an appropriation.

PA HB1326

In pupils and attendance, further providing for computation of distances; and, in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, providing for pupil transportation data.

PA HB2025

In reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, providing for reimbursements for borrowing costs during budget impasse; and establishing the School District Impasse Recovery Fund.

PA AB1391

Education finance: transitional kindergarten: funding for basic aid school districts and necessary small schools.

PA SB315

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," in preliminary provisions, further providing for Special Education Funding Commission and for minimum number of days or hours; in duties and powers of boards of school directors, providing for admission fees for school-sponsored activities; in intermediate units, further providing for staff; in certification of teachers, further providing for certificates qualifying persons to teach and for instructional certificate grade spans and age levels and duties of department, providing for instructional certificate grade spans and age levels and for State certificate fee reduction, further providing for standard employment application, for career and technical instructional certificate, for program of continuing professional and paraprofessional education and for postbaccalaureate certification, providing for assessment of basic skills, further providing for professional educator discipline fee and providing for career and technical administrative director certification flexibility; in pupils and attendance, further providing for attendance policy at charter, regional charter and cyber charter schools, for procedure when child is truant, for procedure by school when child habitually truant, for procedure upon filing of citation, for penalties for violating compulsory school attendance requirements and for study of truancy procedure, providing for department supports to prevent truancy and further providing for reports to Superintendent of Public Instruction and for exceptional children and education and training; in student supports, further providing for definitions; in school safety and security, further providing for definitions, for School Safety and Security Committee, for school safety and security assessment providers, for School Safety and Security Grant Program, for school safety and security coordinator and for school safety and security training, providing for school safety and mental health grants for 2025-2026 school year and further providing for reporting and memorandum of understanding; in school security, further providing for training, for school resource officers, for school security guards and for duties of commission; in Safe2Say Program, further providing for intent, for definitions, for Safe2Say Program and for annual report; in threat assessment, further providing for definitions, for threat assessment teams and for threat assessment guidelines, training and information materials; in Drug and Alcohol Recovery High School Program, further providing for scope of program and selection of students and for enrollment of students; in evidence-based reading instruction, further providing for definitions and providing for school entity duties related to evidence-based reading instruction, for school entity duties related to reading screening, for reading deficiency identification and parental notification, for reading intervention plans, for grant program, for funding, for reporting, for accountability and for construction; in high schools, further providing for attendance in other districts and providing for Free Application for Federal Student Aid; in interscholastic athletics accountability, further providing for council recommendations and standards; in charter schools, further providing for funding for cyber charter schools, for enrollment and notification and for enrollee wellness checks; in career and technical education, further providing for capital reserve fund for approved purchases of equipment and facility maintenance, for career and technical education equipment grants, for Cosmetology Training through Career and Technical Center Pilot Program and for Barber Training through Career and Technical Center Pilot Program; providing for Nursing Shortage Assistance Program; in community colleges, further providing for financial program and reimbursement of payments; in the State System of Higher Education, further providing for definitions and for Grow Pennsylvania Merit Scholarship Program; in educational tax credits, further providing for limitations; in higher education accountability and transparency, further providing for exit counseling; in miscellaneous provisions relating to institutions of higher education, repealing provisions relating to State-related university performance-based funding model, further providing for prohibition on scholarship displacement at public institutions of higher education and providing for cooperation and for State scholarship renewals; in institutions of higher education, further providing for powers and duties of State Board of Higher Education, for definitions, for Performance-based Funding Council and for public institution of higher education reporting, providing for State-related University Performance Fund, for performance-based funding formula and for public accountability and further providing for agency duties, for grant priority and for report; in Ready-to-Succeed Scholarship, further providing for agency; in funding for public libraries, providing for State aid for fiscal year 2025-2026; in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for student-weighted basic education funding beginning with 2023-2024 school year, for extraordinary special education program expenses, for assistance to school districts declared to be in financial recovery status or identified for financial watch status and for Ready-to-Learn Block Grant; in construction and renovation of buildings by school entities, further providing for applicability; abrogating regulations; and making an editorial change.

PA HB1500

In preliminary provisions, providing for Cyber Charter School Funding and Policy Council and furthe r providing for advertising and sponsorships; in pupils and attendance, further providing for exceptional children and education and training; in charter schools, further providing for definitions, for funding for cyber charter schools, for powers and duties of department and for assessment and evaluation, providing for fund balance limits, further providing for cyber charter school requirements and prohibitions, providing for cyber charter school fund balance accountability, further providing for establishment of cyber charter school, for cyber charter school application, for enrollment and notification, for enrollee wellness checks and for applicability of other provisions of this act and of other acts and regulations and providing for cyber charter school moratorium; and, in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for extraordinary special education program expenses.

PA HB1214

Payments for school district transportation of students, special education students, and career and technical education students, the distribution of transportation payments in the event of school district closure, and state transportation payments to school districts; and to provide an effective date.

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