1Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2act relating to the public school system, including certain
3provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5laws relating thereto," further providing for distress in
6school districts of the first class.

7The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8hereby enacts as follows:

9Section 1. Section 696(i) of the act of March 10, 1949
10(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
11amended October 30, 2001 (P.L.828, No.83) and July 12, 2012 
12(P.L.1142, No.141), is amended to read:

13Section 696. Distress in School Districts of the First
14Class.--* * *

15(i) In addition to all powers granted to the superintendent
16by law and a special board of control under section 693 and
17notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the School Reform
18Commission shall have the following powers:

19(1) To appoint such persons and other entities as needed to

1conduct fiscal and performance audits and other necessary
2analyses.

3(2) To enter into agreements with persons or for-profit or
4nonprofit organizations to operate one or more schools. A school
5operated under this clause shall be funded in accordance with
6the terms of the agreement.

7(i) All applications to operate a charter school in a school
8year after a declaration of distress is issued and all charter
9schools established after a declaration of distress is issued
10shall not be subject to sections 1717-A(b), (c), (d), (e), (f),
11(g), (h) and (i)[, 1722-A(c)] and 1724-A.

12(ii) The School Reform Commission may suspend or revoke a
13charter pursuant to section 1729-A.

14(3) To suspend the requirements of this act and regulations
15of the State Board of Education except that the school district
16shall remain subject to those provisions of this act set forth
17in sections 1073, 1073.1, 1076, 1077, 1078, 1080, 1732-A(a), (b)
18and (c)[, 1714-B] and 2104 and regulations under those sections.

19(4) To employ professional and senior management employes
20who do not hold State certification if the School Reform
21Commission has approved the qualifications of the person at a
22salary established by the commission.

23(5) To enter into agreements with persons or for-profit or
24nonprofit organizations providing educational or other services
25to or for the school district. Services provided under this
26clause shall be funded in accordance with the terms of the
27agreement.

28(6) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this act other 
29than this clause, to close or reconstitute a school, including
30the reassignment, suspension or dismissal of professional

1employes. This clause shall be suspended until June 30, 2014, in 
2order to do all of the following:

3(i) Permit the school district to investigate changes in
4various areas, including structure and curriculum.

5(ii) Permit the school district and the General Assembly to
6consider financial reform.

7(iii) Enable residents of the school district to plan for
8appropriate and effective transition upon implementation of this
9clause.

10(7) To suspend professional employes without regard to the
11provisions of section 1125.1.

12(8) To appoint managers, administrators or for-profit or
13nonprofit organizations to oversee the operations of a school or
14group of schools within the school district.

15(9) To reallocate resources, amend school procedures,
16develop achievement plans and implement testing or other
17evaluation procedures for educational purposes.

18(10) To supervise and direct principals, teachers and
19administrators.

20(11) To negotiate any memoranda of understanding under the
21collective bargaining agreement in existence on the effective
22date of this section.

23(12) To negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement.

24(13) To delegate to a person, including an employe of the
25school district or a for-profit or nonprofit organization,
26powers it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this
27article, subject to the supervision and direction of the School
28Reform Commission.

29(14) To employ, contract with or assign persons or for-
30profit or nonprofit organizations to review the financial and

1educational programs of school buildings and make
2recommendations to the School Reform Commission regarding
3improvements to the financial or educational programs of school
4buildings.

5* * *

6Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.