An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in duties and powers of boards of school directors, further providing for temporary emergency provisions.

PRINTER'S NO. 2650
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2067
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY CIRESI, GUENST, SANCHEZ, HILL-EVANS, SHUSTERMAN,
STEELE, MERSKI AND CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, NOVEMBER 24, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, DECEMBER 3, 2025
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 duties and powers of boards of
school directors, further providing for temporary emergency
provisions.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 520.1(a) and (b) of the act of March 10,
1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
are amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to
read:
Section 520.1. Temporary Emergency Provisions.--(a)
Whenever an emergency shall arise which the board of school
directors of any school district in the performance of its
duties could not anticipate or foresee, and which emergency
shall result in any such school district being unable to provide
for the attendance of all pupils during the prescribed length of
school days, number of days per week, or usual hours of classes,
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it shall be found as a fact by the school directors of any
school district and so recorded on the minutes of a regular or
special meeting of such board and certified to the
[Superintendent of Public Instruction] Secretary of Education,
and such board of school directors, subject to the approval of
the [Superintendent of Public Instruction] Secretary of
Education, shall have power to put into operation in such school
district any one or more of the temporary provisions hereinafter
provided for, but in no event shall such temporary provisions
remain in effect for a period of more than four years after they
are first put into effect.
(b) Subject to the foregoing provisions, any board of school
directors may:
(1) Keep the schools of the district in session such days
and number of days per week as they shall deem necessary or
desirable, but the provisions of [this act requiring a minimum
of one hundred eighty (180) session days as a school year]
section 133 shall not be affected thereby.
(2) Reduce the length of time of daily instruction for
various courses and classes.
(3) Transition students to virtual learning either on a
full-time or part-time basis.
(4) Furlough nonessential employees.
* * *
(d) If the General Appropriation Act has not been enacted
within sixty (60) days of the beginning of a new fiscal year, a
board of school directors may declare an emergency under this
section at any point thereafter and utilize the provisions of
this section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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