PRINTER'S NO. 3218
No. 2329 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY STAIRS, COLAFELLA, ARGALL, BASTIAN, HERMAN, KREBS, McILHATTAN, R. MILLER, NAILOR, ROHRER, SCHULER, T. STEVENSON, GRUCELA, KIRKLAND, ROEBUCK, STURLA, M. BAKER, BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF, BISHOP, BROWNE, BUNT, CAPPELLI, L. I. COHEN, COSTA, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, DALEY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, J. EVANS, FEESE, FRANKEL, GEIST, GEORGE, GORDNER, HARHAI, HERSHEY, HESS, HORSEY, HUTCHINSON, JOSEPHS, LAUGHLIN, MANN, MARKOSEK, MELIO, MICOZZIE, S. MILLER, PETRARCA, PRESTON, RAYMOND, READSHAW, ROBERTS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SATHER, SAYLOR, SCRIMENTI, SEMMEL, SHANER, B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, SURRA, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TRAVAGLIO, WALKO, WATSON AND YOUNGBLOOD, JANUARY 30, 2002
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 30, 2002
AN ACT 1 Providing certain students the opportunity to enroll in a 2 community college, State-owned institution or State-related 3 institution and to earn both high school and college credit. 4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 5 hereby enacts as follows: 6 Section 1. Short title. 7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Postsecondary 8 Education Opportunities Act. 9 Section 2. Legislative findings and declaration. 10 The General Assembly hereby finds, determines and declares: 11 (1) High school students need to be continually 12 challenged in order to maintain their academic interest and 13 such challenges must include rigorous academic pursuits.
1 (2) High school students need to be prepared for 2 postsecondary learning. 3 (3) The Commonwealth should promote a seamless system of 4 elementary, secondary and postsecondary education. 5 Section 3. Definitions. 6 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 7 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 8 context clearly indicates otherwise: 9 "Community college." A public college or technical institute 10 which is established and operated under Article XIX-A of the act 11 of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School 12 Code of 1949, and all branches or campuses of such a college or 13 institution. 14 "Department." The Department of Education of the 15 Commonwealth. 16 "Program." The Postsecondary Education Opportunities Program 17 established in this act. 18 "Qualified student." A resident of this Commonwealth who: 19 (1) Is enrolled in the school district of residence. 20 (2) Is in eleventh or twelfth grade. 21 (3) Is not more than 21 years old. 22 (4) Has not yet received a high school diploma or its 23 equivalent. 24 (5) Has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or 25 higher on a 4.0 scale. 26 (6) Demonstrates the ability to benefit from college- 27 level courses as evidenced by the student's high school 28 transcript. 29 "State-owned institution." An institution which is part of 30 the State System of Higher Education under Article XX-A of the 20020H2329B3218 - 2 -
1 act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public 2 School Code of 1949, and all branches and campuses of such an 3 institution. 4 "State-related institution." The Pennsylvania State 5 University, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, the 6 Pennsylvania College of Technology and Lincoln University. 7 Section 4. Postsecondary Education Opportunities Program. 8 (a) Establishment.-- 9 (1) The Postsecondary Education Opportunities Program is 10 established. The program shall provide that a qualified 11 student may, after receiving advice and counsel of a high 12 school guidance counselor and supplying the high school 13 guidance counselor with the written consent of the student's 14 parent or legal guardian, apply to a community college, 15 State-related or State-owned institution for admission. 16 (2) If a qualified student meets admissions and program 17 requirements and is accepted for enrollment under this act, 18 the community college, State-related or State-owned 19 institution shall send written notice to the student and the 20 student's school district within ten days of acceptance. The 21 notice shall indicate the course and hours of enrollment for 22 that student. 23 (b) Nonpublic students and home schooled students.-- 24 (1) A qualified student who is enrolled in a nonpublic 25 high school is eligible to participate in the program only if 26 the nonpublic school has been approved by the student's 27 school district. 28 (2) A qualified student who is home schooled is eligible 29 to participate only if that student's education program has 30 been approved by the student's school district superintendent 20020H2329B3218 - 3 -
1 in accordance with section 1327.1 of the act of March 10, 2 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 3 1949. To participate in the program, a home-schooled 4 qualified student must obtain the approval of a high school 5 guidance counselor and school superintendent of the district 6 where that student resides. 7 Section 5. Courses, credits and grades. 8 (a) Summer and intersession programs.--A qualified student 9 may enroll in courses offered in summer and intersession 10 programs. 11 (b) Academic and occupational college-level courses.-- 12 (1) A qualified student may enroll in academic and 13 occupational college-level courses and may not enroll in 14 developmental/remedial, physical education or sectarian 15 courses. 16 (2) At the discretion of the high school in which the 17 student is enrolled, the student may enroll in academic and 18 occupational college-level courses even though such courses 19 may already be offered at the high school in which the 20 student is enrolled. 21 (c) High school credit.-- 22 (1) Upon evidence that a qualified student has 23 successfully completed his or her courses, the high school in 24 which the student is enrolled shall determine how to 25 calculate the college credits earned by the student into the 26 student's grade point average, include such courses on the 27 student's transcript and apply such credits toward the 28 student's high school graduation requirements. Successful 29 completion shall be determined by the high school in which 30 the student is enrolled. 20020H2329B3218 - 4 -
1 (2) The awarding of high school credit for nonpublic, 2 qualified students shall be at the discretion of the 3 student's nonpublic schools. 4 (d) College course credit.--At the discretion of the 5 community college, State-related or State-owned institution in 6 which a qualified student is enrolled, course credit may apply 7 towards a certificate or an associate's or bachelor's degree. 8 Section 6. Eligible sites. 9 (a) General rule.--A qualified student may enroll in 10 academic and occupational college-level courses offered at a 11 high school or at a main or branch campus of a community 12 college, State-related or State-owned institution. At the 13 discretion of the high school in which the student is enrolled, 14 the student may enroll in distance learning courses which may 15 include, but are not limited to, technology or correspondence. 16 (b) Hours of instruction.--At the discretion of the high 17 school in which a qualified student is enrolled, the student may 18 attend academic and occupational college-level courses before, 19 during or after the normal hours of a school day. 20 Section 7. Transportation, textbooks and materials. 21 Qualified students participating in the program shall be 22 responsible for their own transportation, textbooks and 23 instructional materials. 24 Section 8. Extracurricular and cocurricular activities. 25 No school district of residence shall prohibit a qualified 26 student participating under the program from participating in 27 any extracurricular or cocurricular activities of that school 28 district of residence. Provided, that the student is able to 29 fulfill all of the requirements of participation in such 30 activities. 20020H2329B3218 - 5 -
1 Section 9. Cost for tuition and fees. 2 (a) General rule.--A qualified student participating under 3 the program shall pay the costs for tuition and fees, as 4 determined by the community college, State-related or State- 5 owned institution. 6 (b) Reimbursement.--A qualified student participating under 7 the program may be eligible for reimbursement for costs for 8 tuition and fees. 9 (c) Payment by school district.--On behalf of the qualified 10 student participating under this program, a school district may, 11 but shall not be required to, pay the costs for tuition and 12 fees, unless otherwise required to pay such costs as a local 13 sponsor of a community college. 14 Section 10. Reimbursement to community colleges. 15 Community colleges shall be eligible to receive full-time 16 equivalent reimbursement for qualified students under section 17 1913-A(b)(1.4) of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), 18 known as the Public School Code of 1949. 19 Section 11. Reimbursement to school districts. 20 (a) General rule.--To the extent that funds are available, a 21 qualified student participating under this program may be 22 eligible for reimbursement for costs for tuition and fees by the 23 student's school district of residence, provided that the 24 student successfully completed his or her college-level courses. 25 Successful completion shall be determined by the high school in 26 which the student is enrolled. To be reimbursed for costs for 27 tuition and fees, the student must apply to his or her school 28 district of residence and report information regarding student 29 participation in the program in such a manner and on such forms 30 as the school district may require. 20020H2329B3218 - 6 -
1 (b) Membership roll.--Qualified students participating under 2 this program shall be included in the membership roll of the 3 student's school district of residence, regardless of the hours 4 of instruction. 5 Section 12. Rules and regulations. 6 The department shall promulgate such reasonable rules and 7 regulations as it deems necessary for the administration of this 8 act. 9 Section 13. Effective date. 10 This act shall take effect July 1, 2002, or immediately, 11 whichever is later. A22L24SFL/20020H2329B3218 - 7 -