Newsroom

The latest education-related news from PSBA and other sources

Safe Schools Grant program accepting applications

The Pennsylvania Department of Education is currently accepting applications for the Safe Schools Grant through July 31, 2018. This program has a few different funding budgets, which districts may choose between: School Resource Officer (SRO) placement, School Police Officer (SPO) placement or Targeted Initiatives (support for programs under the district’s comprehensive safe schools plan)… More

PA budget plan includes more for schools, safety

Details of a $32.7 billion state budget package began emerging Tuesday, as top Republican lawmakers prepared an election-year plan they negotiated behind closed doors with Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf… More

2018-19 proposed PA state budget makes $70 million investment in school safety

In a state that didn't experience a mass school shooting incident like the ones in Parkland, FL, or Santa Fe, NM, Pennsylvania lawmakers are counting their blessings and taking proactive steps to keep it that way… More

PA House passes bill creating higher hurdles for public taking of protected lands

The Pennsylvania state House has given a quick and speedy approval to a bill that would require school districts and other public entities to get court approval of any taking of preserved lands… More

Joint letter: PSEA and PSBA, regarding school safety

June 11, 2018   The Honorable Andrew Dinniman Senate of Pennsylvania Senate P O Box 203019 Harrisburg, PA 17120-3019 Re: School Safety Dear Senator Dinniman, The shock and fear generated by the recent succession of school shootings at Parkland, Florida, and Santa Fe, Texas, as well as other violent acts in schools have led our… More

PSBA supports SB 1095

June 18, 2018 Pennsylvania Senate Re: Senate Bill 1095 Dear Senator, On behalf of the 4,500 elected officials who govern the commonwealth’s public school districts, we are writing to request your support for Senate Bill 1095 sponsored by Senator Thomas McGarrigle (Chester and Delaware), which would reform State graduation requirements by providing multiple pathways for… More

Letter: Support of Senate Bill 1099

June 16, 2018 Senate Local Government Committee Senate of Pennsylvania Re: Support of Senate Bill 1099 Dear Senator, On behalf of the 4,500 elected officials who govern the commonwealth’s public school districts, we are writing to request your support of Senate Bill 1099, sponsored by Senator Scott Martin… More

Letter: Safe2Say, Senate Bill 1142; House Bill 2432 dealing with textbooks; House Bill 1097 CPR

June 16, 2018 House Education Committee Members Pennsylvania House of Representatives Re: Safe2Say, Senate Bill 1142; House Bill 2432 dealing with textbooks; House Bill 1097 CPR Dear Representative: On behalf of our 4,500 publicly elected members, The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) is providing comments on several of the bills being considered by the House… More

State Senate embraces exam alternatives

Legislation that seeks to prevent the Keystone Exams from being a lone hurdle to graduation from high school in Pennsylvania passed the Senate Education Committee last week, to the applause of both the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and the president of the state's largest teachers union… More

Commentary: PA state budget review — Are these negotiations a ‘friendly?’ We’ll soon find out

As for the budget, what is known is that the governor's office, and negotiators for the state House and the Senate have been quietly plugging away to try to reach an agreed-to spending plan by the next of the new fiscal year on July 1… More