Newsroom

Register now for the Sleep & Student Performance webcast

Our students face many issues today, but who would have imagined sleep deprivation could be a significant issue? The Joint State Government Commission established an advisory committee to study the issues, benefits and options related to school districts instituting later start times in secondary schools… More

Bullying, mental health concerns top reports to Safe2Say Something student tip line

Schools need more resources to address the bullying and mental health issues that cause students to harm themselves and consider suicide, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Wednesday in a discussion with high school students on the state’s new school safety app and tipline… More

Philadelphia may soon require all charter schools to accommodate trans kids

City Council is considering a proposal that would require Philadelphia institutions that serve children, including charter schools, to accommodate transgender and gender-nonconforming youth, including allowing those individuals to wear clothing and use bathrooms consistent with their gender identity… More

Lawsuit against Boyertown school district’s transgender policy dropped

A group of current and former students has dropped its lawsuit against the Boyertown Area School District. The Independence Law Center, which represented the students, said most of the plaintiffs graduated, and it is confident that student privacy will be protected going forward… More

PA Senate passes bill raising age to buy tobacco and vaping products

Legislation that would raise the minimum legal age to buy tobacco and vaping products in Pennsylvania from 18 years of age to 21 passed the PA Senate yesterday. It also provides for schools to establish further restrictions on tobacco use… More

Video EDition: School Director Required Training FAQ

According to state law, all school directors must complete training. How many hours are required if you are a new school director? What about if you’re re-elected? How can you access high-quality, compliant training? Get the answers to these and other related questions in this episode… More

Impasse looms over latest effort to ease bite of Pennsylvania school property taxes

A bipartisan group of Pennsylvania lawmakers deliberating the future of the school property tax appears headed for an impasse on whether to reduce or end it, and likely will pass along a list of options to House and Senate party leaders to pursue… More

Bill seeks to get personal finance into Pennsylvania schools

Legislation is on the move in Pennsylvania to require public schools to allow students to apply personal finance class credits toward high school graduation requirements. The Senate approved the bill unanimously on Monday, and sent it to the House… More

PA has no standards for teaching climate change in the classroom — so it might not be taught at all

That means schools in the state are not formally required to teach climate change. So as study after study warns about the risks of a warming planet, many Pennsylvania students are learning nothing about it in the classroom. Climate education in school is left up to the bold teacher or a forward-thinking school district… More

It’s not just Elizabeth Forward: Bus driver shortages pose a problem nationwide

Responding to a 2016 survey of industry insiders by the National Association for Pupil Transportation, just over half of respondents from across the country said a dearth of drivers was their foremost concern. Seventy percent of those student-transportation leaders said they believed the problem was getting worse… More