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Bill > HB1500

PA HB1500

In preliminary provisions, providing for Cyber Charter School Funding and Policy Council and further 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 an

summary

Introduced
05/30/2025
In Committee
06/06/2025
Crossed Over
06/04/2025
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

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, providing for Cyber Charter School Funding and Policy Council and further 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.

AI Summary

This bill establishes a comprehensive framework for regulating cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania with several key provisions. It creates a Cyber Charter School Funding and Policy Council composed of legislators and education officials tasked with developing recommendations for cyber charter school funding, policies, and standards by April 1, 2026. The bill introduces significant changes to cyber charter school operations, including a funding rate of $8,000 per non-special education student starting in the 2025-2026 school year, with annual adjustments based on specific economic indicators. It imposes new financial accountability measures, such as limiting unassigned fund balances to 12% of total expenditures and requiring schools to refund excess funds to school districts. The legislation also implements stricter enrollment and oversight requirements, including mandatory weekly wellness checks for students, more detailed reporting requirements, and a moratorium on new cyber charter school applications from the 2025-2026 through 2029-2030 school years. Additional provisions address special education funding, residency verification, and enhanced accountability for cyber charter schools, with non-compliance potentially resulting in charter revocation. The bill aims to improve transparency, financial predictability, and educational quality in cyber charter school operations.

Committee Categories

Budget and Finance, Education

Sponsors (39)

Mary Isaacson (D)*,  Lisa Borowski (D),  Tim Brennan (D),  Gina Curry (D),  Mary Jo Daley (D),  Tina Davis (D),  Dave Delloso (D),  Kyle Donahue (D),  Justin Fleming (D),  Bob Freeman (D),  Paul Friel (D),  Nancy Guenst (D),  Jim Haddock (D),  Liz Hanbidge (D),  Carol Hill-Evans (D),  Joe Hohenstein (D),  John Inglis (D),  Carol Kazeem (D),  Malcolm Kenyatta (D),  Tarik Khan (D),  Leanne Krueger (D),  Dave Madsen (D),  Jeanne McNeill (D),  Jenn O'Mara (D),  Danielle Otten (D),  Chris Pielli (D),  Tarah Probst (D),  James Prokopiak (D),  Nikki Rivera (D),  Jacklyn Rusnock (D),  Abigail Salisbury (D),  Steve Samuelson (D),  Ben Sanchez (D),  Mike Schlossberg (D),  Pete Schweyer (D),  Melissa Shusterman (D),  Izzy Smith-Wade-El (D),  Mandy Steele (D),  Arvind Venkat (D), 

Last Action

Referred to EDUCATION (on 06/06/2025)

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