An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, providing for Cross-age Tutoring Program.

PRINTER'S NO. 854
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 827
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY FREEMAN, JAMES, GIRAL, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, SANCHEZ,
HILL-EVANS, KENYATTA, CERRATO, GREEN, CURRY, HANBIDGE, WAXMAN
AND KAZEEM, MARCH 6, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 6, 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 terms and courses of study,
providing for Cross-age Tutoring 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 1529. Cross-Age Tutoring Program.--(a) The
Department of Education shall establish and publish on the
Department of Education's publicly accessible Internet website
evidence-based guidelines for the Cross-age Tutoring Program in
which public school students in grades eleven and twelve, under
the supervision of a certified teacher or paraprofessional, may
volunteer as a tutor to assist another student with their
studies. The guidelines shall, at a minimum, provide for the
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
following:
(1) The qualifications of students eligible to serve as
tutors.
(2) The qualifications of students eligible for tutoring.
(3) That participating tutors receive academic credits for
serving as tutors.
(4) Ways to encourage students in grades eleven and twelve
who are not meeting their academic benchmarks to volunteer for
the program as tutors , if it is determined that serving as
tutors could improve their own academic performance.
(5) Training for students serving as tutors.
(6) Coordination with the certified teacher or
paraprofessional.
(7) Structure of tutoring sessions for both content and
instruction delivery.
(8) Frequency of tutoring sessions for both content and
instruction delivery.
(b) The program shall be available to all public school
entities in this Commonwealth.
(c) Tutoring services provided as part of the program may
not replace or diminish services provided by an employe of a
public school entity, but shall serve as a supplement to
instructional and educational services to aid in enhancing the
academic performance of the student to be tutored.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to:
(1) Limit a public school entity's authority or ability to
develop and implement alternative cross-age tutoring programs.
(2) Supersede or preempt the rights, remedies and procedures
afforded to school employes or labor organizations under Federal
or State law, including the act of July 23, 1970 (P.L.563,
20250HB0827PN0854 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
No.195), known as the "Public Employe Relations Act," or any
provision of a collective bargaining agreement negotiated
between a school employer and an exclusive representative of the
employes in accordance with the "Public Employe Relations Act."
(e) 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:
"Cross-age tutoring." Tutoring that a student in an upper
grade level provides to a student in a lower grade level. The
term does not include tutoring that a student provides to a peer
in the same grade or in a higher grade.
"Paraprofessional." An individual who provides services to
students to supplement an appropriately certified teacher in the
performance of the teacher's instructional duties.
"Program." The Cross-age Tutoring Program established under
this section.
"Public school entity." A school district, area career and
technical school, intermediate unit, charter school, regional
charter school and cyber charter school.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 90 days.
20250HB0827PN0854 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20