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PRINTER'S NO. 3547
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2461
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY FIEDLER, WATRO, PIELLI, VENKAT, BURGOS, GIRAL,
PROBST, McNEILL, BRENNAN, HILL-EVANS, WAXMAN, D. WILLIAMS,
MERSKI, SANCHEZ, NEILSON, MALAGARI, BOROWSKI, PARKER,
GALLAGHER, PASHINSKI, HOHENSTEIN, INGLIS, GUZMAN, STEELE,
DELLOSO, DOUGHERTY, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, CIRESI, RUSNOCK, MADDEN,
DEASY, SMITH-WADE-EL AND RIVERA, JUNE 5, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 8, 2026
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 career and technical education,
establishing the Commission for Career and Technical
Education Excellence and further providing for career and
technical education equipment grants; and, in community
colleges, providing for building and construction trades pre-
apprenticeship initiatives and establishing the Building and
Construction Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Grant Program.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 1802.1. Commission for Career and Technical
Education Excellence.-- (a) The Commission for Career and
Technical Education Excellence is established in the department
as an administrative commission. The commission shall have the
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authority of the department with all the powers and duties
generally vested in and imposed upon the commissions under the
act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as "The
Administrative Code of 1929."
(b) The commission shall have the following duties:
(1) No later than six months after its establishment,
develop guidelines to identify which secondary or postsecondary
courses, programs or activities may apply the credit toward the
completion of a career and technical education program at the
secondary or postsecondary level or a pre-apprenticeship program
established under section 1919-A(b).
(2) Provide recommendations of revision of the guidelines to
the department every five years.
(3) By December 31 each year, the commission shall submit a
report to the Governor and the chairperson and minority
chairperson of the Education Committee of the Senate and the
chairperson and minority chairperson of the Education Committee
of the House of Representatives on the status of career and
technical education in this Commonwealth. The report shall:
(i) Outline career and technical education programs and
achievements.
(ii) Assess the trends and needs in secondary and both
formal and informal postsecondary career and technical education
and training.
(iii) Investigate and assess workforce trends of the
building and construction trades industries.
(iv) Consider the manner in which money is used to support
career and technical education activities.
(v) Highlight new initiatives and recommend future program
needs.
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(vi) Make recommendations to the Governor and the General
Assembly regarding legislative or regulatory changes to improve
career and technical education.
(c) The commission shall consist of the following members:
(1) The Secretary of Education or a designee, who shall
serve as the chairperson.
(2) The Secretary of Labor or a designee.
(3) The Chair of the Pennsylvania State Board of Higher
Education or a designee.
(4) Individuals recommended by the following organizations,
appointed by the Secretary of Education:
(i) Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.
(ii) Pennsylvania Building and Construction Trades Council.
(iii) Pennsylvania Career and Technical Administrators
Association.
(iv) Associated Builders and Contractors.
(v) Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association.
(d) If members are not initially appointed within ninety
days of the effective date of this subsection, or within ninety
days of a vacancy, the Secretary of Education shall appoint any
qualified individual to fill the vacancy.
(e) The members of the commission shall serve without
compensation.
(f) The commission shall:
(1) Meet at the call of the chair.
(2) Hold its first meeting within forty-five days of the
date that all members are appointed to the commission.
(g) A majority of members of the commission shall constitute
a quorum.
(h) The department shall publish approved guidelines on the
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department's publicly accessible Internet website within fifteen
days of approval.
(i) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Commission" means the Commission for Career and Technical
Education Excellence established under this section.
"Department" means the Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
Section 2. Section 1855(b.1) introductory paragraph of the
act is amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection
to read:
Section 1855. Career and Technical Education Equipment
Grants.--* * *
(b.1) [A] Except as provided under subsection (b.2), a piece
of equipment purchased with money from the grant program must
satisfy the following criteria:
* * *
(b.2) Grants awarded under this section may be used to
purchase equipment for operating a building and construction
trades youth camp or building and construction trades pre-
apprenticeship program under section 1919-A.
* * *
Section 3. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 1919-A. Building and Construction Trades Pre-
Apprenticeship Initiatives.-- (a) Each community college in this
Commonwealth shall establish and offer to seventh and eighth
grade students in this Commonwealth an annual construction and
building trades youth camp. The following apply:
(1) To raise awareness of career and technical education in
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secondary and postsecondary education, a community college shall
partner with the following entities when establishing and
offering a youth camp:
(i) The department.
(ii) The Department of Labor and Industry.
(iii) The State Board of Higher Education.
(iv) The Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board.
(v) Secondary career and technical schools.
(2) By December 31 each year, the department shall produce
an annual report on attendance and outcomes of the youth camp
established under this subsection and shall submit the report to
the Governor and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Education Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and
minority chairperson of the Education Committee of the House of
Representatives. When compiling the annual report, the
department may consult with organizations outside of State
government, including the Pennsylvania Commission for Community
Colleges.
(3) The department, in consultation with the State Board of
Higher Education and the Department of Labor and Industry, shall
develop guidelines to implement this subsection.
(b) Each community college in this Commonwealth shall
establish and operate pre-apprenticeship programs using the
National Association of Building Trade Unions' Multi-Craft Core
Curriculum. The following apply:
(1) The department shall implement any necessary policy or
procedure to administer the program and may consult with:
(i) The Department of Labor and Industry.
(ii) The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.
(iii) Career and technical high schools located in this
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Commonwealth.
(iv) Labor unions in the Pennsylvania Building and
Construction Trades Council.
(2) The department, in consultation with the Department of
Labor and Industry, shall develop educational materials and
guidelines about establishing pre-apprenticeship programs under
this subsection.
(3) Within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this
paragraph, the department shall publish guidelines relating to
this subsection on the department's publicly accessible Internet
website.
(c) The Building and Construction Trades Pre-Apprenticeship
Grant Program is established and shall be administered by the
department for the purpose of awarding grants to applicants on a
competitive basis in accordance with the following:
(1) A grant awarded under this subsection shall be used by
the recipient for project costs related to the operation of a
building and construction trades pre-apprenticeship program
under subsection (b) or a building and construction trades youth
camp under subsection (a).
(2) The department shall establish guidelines necessary to
implement this subsection, including consulting with:
(i) The Department of Labor and Industry.
(ii) Career and technical high schools located in this
Commonwealth.
(iii) Labor unions in the Pennsylvania Building and
Construction Trades Council.
(iv) The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.
(3) An applicant shall submit an application on a form and
in a manner as determined by the department.
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(4) Within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this
paragraph, the department shall publish the guidelines under
this subsection on the department's publicly accessible Internet
website.
(d) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department" shall mean the Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
"Youth camp" shall mean a building and construction trades
youth camp as described under subsection (a).
Section 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
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