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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 30, 2015 03:34 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Bernie O'Neill |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Uncertified Substitute Teachers |
| I am preparing to introduce legislation that will allow public school entities (including school districts, area vocational-technical schools and intermediate units) to employ uncertified individuals as substitute teachers in the event certified substitute teachers are unavailable. Like other states, Pennsylvania faces a shortage of substitute teachers, according to the National Education Association. My bill will help to alleviate this problem by allowing public school entities to hire uncertified substitute teachers under certain conditions. Under my legislation, an uncertified individual may substitute teach in a public school entity if the individual holds a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, is of good moral character, is a U.S. citizen at least 18 years of age, and satisfies the statutory criminal history and employment history background check requirements. Prior to hiring an uncertified substitute teacher, the public school entity must make a bona fide effort to employ a certified individual. The uncertified substitute may stand in for multiple certified teachers during a school year, but may not substitute for any one individual for more than 14 consecutive days. The uncertified individual would receive a salary negotiated by the governing board of the public school entity and the individual, but would not be eligible to elect membership in the Public School Employees’ Retirement System. My bill will provide a practical solution to the substitute teacher shortage in this Commonwealth, while still protecting the employment of certified teachers where certified teachers are available. If you have any questions on this legislation, please contact Jeannie Dougherty in my Harrisburg office at 705-7170 or by e-mailing jdougher@pahousegop.com. Thank you for your consideration and support of this very important piece of legislation. |
Introduced as HB1039