An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, further providing for background checks of prospective employees; providing for competitive food or beverage contracts and for certain budget timelines; further providing for annual budget and for financial reports; providing for the Distinguished Educators Program; further providing for continuing professional development, for program of continuing professional education, for safe schools advocate, for certain health services and for advisory health councils; providing for local wellness policies, for an interagency coordinating council for child health and nutrition, for duties of the Department of Education and for physical education; providing for physiology and hygiene; further providing for the Educational Assistance Program, for definitions, for responsibilities of Department of Education, for responsibilities of school entities, for transportation, for definitions, for education empowerment list, for board of school directors, for education empowerment districts, for school improvement grants, for limitation and for alternative education grants; providing for alternative education demonstration grants; further providing for State funding; providing for articulation agreements; further providing for definitions and for limitations; providing for transfer of credits between institutions of higher education and for transportation of certain students; further providing for definitions and for small district assistance; providing for basic education funding for 2005-2006 school year and for funding for partnership schools; further providing for payments on account of limited English proficiency programs, for payments to intermediate units and for special education payments to school districts; providing for special education community support services; further providing for payments, for approved reimbursable rental for leases and for Pennsylvania Accountability Grants; and providing for Statewide costing-out study.