Altoona Times

Pennsylvania schools now have more flexibility in providing educational opportunities to students, thanks to a new law sponsored by Republican Chairman of the House Education Committee, Rep. Jesse Topper. The law, known as Act 56 of 2023, changes the instructional time requirement from 180 days to either 180 days or 990 secondary and 900 elementary hours.

According to Rep. Topper, this law will allow schools to "meet the needs of students" by providing more options for tabulating instructional time. He explained, "Giving schools more options to tabulate instructional time provides educators and administrators a better opportunity to meet the needs of students. This legislation was developed in consultation with the Superintendent's Association and will lead to more participation in internships and extended career and technology hours, allowing for increased individualized educational opportunities, student support, and more focused workforce development."

Previously, schools in Pennsylvania were required to provide 180 days of instruction per school year. However, they could request a school week of 27.5 hours as the equivalent of five school days. Furthermore, the secretary of Education could approve a school term with a minimum of 990 secondary or 900 elementary hours as the equivalent of 180 school days.

With the implementation of Act 56, the approval process has been removed, and the standard has automatically been set at 180 days or 990 secondary and 900 elementary hours per year.

This new law aims to increase flexibility in education and provide more opportunities for students to pursue internships and extended career and technology hours. By allowing for individualized educational options and focused workforce development, Pennsylvania schools hope to better prepare students for their future endeavors.

For more information, please contact Greg Gross at 717.260.6374 or via email at ggross@pahousegop.com. You can also visit RepTopper.com or Facebook.com/RepTopper for updates and additional details on Representative Jesse Topper's work.

To learn more, click on this link: https://reptopper.com/News/33307/Latest-News/Topper-Bill-to-Increase-Learning-Flexibility-Now-Law