Education 2025-2026
The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 to consider the following legislation:
SB 877 (Pennycuick) – Making CTC Barber Programs Permanent
- Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.
SB 878 (Pennycuick) – Making CTC Cosmetology Programs Permanent
- Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.
HB 354 (Solomon) – What’s your Pennsylvania Story?
- Amendment A01269 – This gut and replace amendment replaces the underlying’s bill primary focus on religious freedom and with a broader focus on Pennsylvania’s role in the formation of the United States – including religious freedoms. PDE is required to develop resources, but schools do not have to use them. Amendment adopted unanimously.
- Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.
HB1405 (Munroe) – Veterans’ service experience for CTE certification
- Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.
The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 to consider the following legislation:
SB375 (Brown) – AEDs at Interscholastic Athletic Events
- This bill repeals the sections of the school code that currently cover CPR and AEDs and consolidates them into new sections with heightened requirements.
- Amendment A01013 to clarify PCCD Safety and Security Grant language adopted unanimously.
- Reported out of Senate Education as amended 10-1 (Keefer voting no).
SB432 (Pennycuick) – Expanding Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program
- This bill extends the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program to nonresident students who attend a PASSHE school.
- Amendment A00862 to eliminate the word “youth” adopted unanimously.
- Reported out of Senate Education as amended 9-2 (Keefer and Mastriano voting no).
SB733 (Hughes) – Clarifying Requirements for Student Loan Exit Counseling
- This bill clarifies that institutions of higher education must provide financial aid exit counseling to all students that have loans that require repayment.
- Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.
SB838 (Culver) – Codifying Authority over Real Estate and Appraiser Schools
- This bill clarifies that the Pennsylvania Department of State, not the Department of Education, has licensure authority over real estate and appraiser schools.
- Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.
SR119 (Brooks) – Resolution Urging Congress and USDA/HHS to Support Whole Milk in Schools
- The resolution urges Congress, USDA, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to update federal standards to allow schools to offer 2% and whole milk in school.
- Reported out of Senate Education unanimously.
The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 to consider the following legislation:
- Reported out of Senate Education 8-3 (Comitta, Kearney, and L.Williams voting no).
SB114 (Argall) – Nurse Aid Programs
This bill would establish an alternative pathway to become a nurse aide in PA and broadens eligibility requirements.
- Amendment A00552 – clarifies a section of the bill is “OR” not “AND”. Amendment adopted unanimously.
- Reported out of Senate Education as amended 7-4, along party lines.
SB127 (Mastriano) – Holocaust Education
The bill amends the Public School Code to mandate instruction in Holocaust, genocide and human rights violations and require schools to post all related materials and curriculum online.
- Reported out of Senate Education 6-5 (Sen. Keefer voting no along with all Democratic members).
SB227 (Phillips-Hill) – RTK for PSBA
This bill subjects the Pennsylvania School Board Association to Pennsylvania’s Right to Know Law.
- Reported out of Senate Education 9-2 (Comitta and Kearney voting no).
This bill requires schools to notify parents and educators when a student, parent, educator, or other individual possesses a weapon on school grounds, school-sponsored activity, and transportation to either.
- Amendment A00457 separately defines “private” and “nonpublic” schools. Amendment adopted 9-2 (A.Williams and L.Williams voting no).
- Reported out of Senate Education as amended 8-3 (Kearney, A.Williams, L.Wiliams voting no).
SB310 (Martin) – Universal FAFSA Completion
This bill requires all students to file the FAFSA or an opt-out form prior to completing high school.
- Amendment 00388 requires PHEEA to provide only information they have access to. Amendment adopted unanimously.
- Amendment 00507 separately defines “nonpublic school” and “private school”. Amendment adopted 10-2 (Kearney and L.Williams voting no).
- Reported out of Senate Education as amended 10-2 (Kearney and Keefer voting no).
SB700 (Robinson and Hughes) – Literacy Achievement for All Pennsylvania Students
This bill includes pieces from the structured literacy legislation last session that did not make it across the finish line, with a longer timeline by which districts must adopt structured literacy curriculum.
- Reported out of Senate Education 10-1 (Keefer no).
The Senate Education Committee met on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 to consider the following legislation:
SB 9 (J.Ward) – Banning Trans Girls from Playing Sports
This bill discriminates against transgender girls by banning their participating in sports from kindergarten through college.
- Reported out of Senate Education along party lines 7-4.
The Senate Education Committee met on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 to consider the following legislation:
SB 315 (Culver) – Career and Technical Education Equipment Grant Fix
- This bill amends the School Code to lock in the data used in the career and technical education equipment grant formula on June 1st of each year.
- Reported out of committee unanimously.
SB 470 (Brooks) – Firefighter Training Pilot Program for High School Students
- This bill amends the Public School Code by establishing the Secondary Education Fire Training Pilot Program and creates the Fire Training Fund.
- Reported out of committee 10-1 (Keefer voting no).
Senator Lindsey Williams
Committee Chair