THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

INTRODUCED BY HUGHES, COSTA, TARTAGLIONE, KITCHEN, MUSTO, WASHINGTON, LOGAN, FONTANA, O'PAKE, FARNESE AND STACK, MAY 5, 2009

REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MAY 5, 2009  

AN ACT

Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An

act relating to the public school system, including certain

provisions applicable as well to private and parochial

schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the

laws relating thereto," further providing for education

empowerment districts.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Section 1705-B(h) of the act of March 10, 1949

(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,

amended July 9, 2008 (P.L.846, No.61), is amended to read:

Section 1705-B.  Education Empowerment Districts.--* * *

(h)  (1)  A school district under a declaration of distress

pursuant to section 691(a) and certified as an education

empowerment district shall be operated by a special board of

control established under section 692. A board of control

established under this section shall be abolished upon the

appointment of a special board of control under section 692.

(2)  For a school district under a declaration of distress

pursuant to section 691(a) and certified as an education

empowerment district, the special board of control established

under section 692 shall have the powers and duties of a special

board of control under section 692 and the powers and duties

contained in section 1706-B.

(3)  For a school district with a history of low test

performance that is certified as distressed for a minimum period

of two (2) years under sections 691 and 692, the department

shall waive the inclusion of the school district on the

education empowerment list under section 1703-B(a) and

immediately certify the school district as an education

empowerment district.

(4)  The department may utilize up to $4,500,000 of

undistributed funds not expended, encumbered or committed from

appropriations for grants and subsidies made to the department

to assist school districts certified as an education empowerment

district under paragraph (3). There is hereby established a

restricted account from which payments under this paragraph

shall be paid. Funds shall be transferred by the Secretary of

the Budget to the restricted account to the extent necessary to

make payments under this paragraph. Funds in the restricted

account are hereby appropriated to carry out the purposes of

this paragraph. The subsidy payment from this account shall be

utilized to supplement the operational budget of the eligible

school districts. This paragraph shall apply to fiscal years

2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2004-2005,

2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008 [and], 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 

and shall expire June 30, [2009] 2010.

Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009, or

immediately, whichever is later.