PRINTER'S NO. 1423
No. 1232 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY D. EVANS, DeWEESE, THOMAS, CALTAGIRONE, GEORGE,
GRUCELA, JAMES, McILHATTAN, MELIO, PRESTON, READSHAW,
ROBINSON, SHANER, TRICH, C. WILLIAMS, J. WILLIAMS, WOGAN,
YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK, MARCH 29, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 29, 2001
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," providing for release of report
6 relating to teacher education programs; establishing a
7 Literacy Intern Program in the Department of Education;
8 providing for signing bonuses for certain first-year
9 teachers; and making an appropriation.
10 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11 hereby enacts as follows:
12 Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
13 as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding sections
14 to read:
15 Section 113. Low Performing Institutions Report.--The
16 Department of Education shall release on an annual basis to the
17 public the comprehensive teacher preparation program report
18 submitted by the department to the United States Department of
19 Education.
20 Section 1108.1. Literacy Intern Program.--(a) There is
1 hereby established in the Department of Education a Literacy
2 Intern Program. The program shall be designed to enhance teacher
3 recruitment efforts, provide support for new teachers and reduce
4 class size. To participate in the program individuals must:
5 (1) Have a baccalaureate degree.
6 (2) Be enrolled in an educational program leading to teacher
7 certification.
8 (b) Program components shall include:
9 (1) Intensive training of literacy interns during the summer
10 months, with an emphasis on a balanced approach to literacy
11 instruction.
12 (2) Placement of literacy interns in self-contained,
13 reduced-size classrooms under the supervision of a certified
14 teacher.
15 (3) Delivery of research-based literacy instruction in the
16 early elementary grades by the literacy interns.
17 (c) The Department of Education shall administer the program
18 under this section and shall adopt such regulations, policies,
19 procedures and forms as are necessary and not inconsistent with
20 this section.
21 Section 1142.2. Teacher Signing Bonuses.--(a) The
22 Department of Education shall establish a program that awards
23 one-time signing bonuses to teachers who:
24 (1) Are hired to fill a vacancy in a critical shortage area.
25 Positions in critical shortage areas shall be certified by the
26 department on an annual basis.
27 (2) Are properly certificated by the department to teach.
28 (3) Are in the first year of full-time teaching.
29 (4) Agree to teach in a critical shortage area for at least
30 five (5) years.
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1 (b) An eligible teacher shall receive a signing bonus equal
2 to twenty per centum (20%) of the teacher's starting salary to
3 be paid to the teacher over a five-year period as follows as
4 long as the teacher continues to teach in the critical shortage
5 area:
6 (1) Year one, five per centum (5%).
7 (2) Year two, ten per centum (10%).
8 (3) Year three, twenty per centum (20%).
9 (4) Year four, twenty-five per centum (25%).
10 (5) Year five, forty per centum (40%).
11 (c) A teacher who receives a signing bonus through false or
12 misleading information or who otherwise improperly receives a
13 signing bonus shall be required to refund to the Department of
14 Education the amount of signing bonus received.
15 (d) The Department of Education shall administer the program
16 under this section and shall adopt such regulations, policies,
17 procedures and forms as are necessary and not inconsistent with
18 this section.
19 Section 2. The sum of $23,275,000 is hereby appropriated to
20 the Department of Education for the fiscal year July 1, 2001, to
21 June 30, 2002. The appropriation shall be allocated as follows:
22 (1) The sum of $19,400,000 is allocated to the
23 department to carry out the provisions of section 1108.1 of
24 the act.
25 (2) The sum of $3,875,000 is allocated to the department
26 to carry out the provisions of section 1142.2 of the act.
27 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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