Pennsylvania HB 2544: An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, providing for emergency COVID-19 provisions.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 3451
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2544
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY TAKAC, K. HARRIS, HILL-EVANS, D. WILLIAMS,
SANCHEZ, PROBST, ABNEY, MEHAFFIE, GUZMAN, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ AND
GREEN, MAY 27, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 27, 2026
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," in professional employees, further
providing for compensation plans for school administrators.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1164 of the act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
amended to read:
Section 1164. Compensation [Plans] Agreements for School
Administrators.--(a) As used in this section, the following
words will have the following meanings:
"Administrative compensation" shall mean administrator
salaries and fringe benefits and shall include any board
decision that directly affects administrator compensation such
as administrative evaluation and early retirement programs.
"Agreement" shall mean the compensation and benefits plan for
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school administrators.
"Public Employe Relations Act" shall mean the act of July 23,
1970 (P.L.563, No.195), known as the "Public Employe Relations
Act."
"School administrator" shall mean any employe of the school
entity below the rank of district superintendent, executive
director, director of career and technical school, assistant
district superintendent or assistant executive director, but
including [the rank of first level supervisor] an individual
with a supervisory or administrative certificate from the
Department of Education, who by virtue of assigned duties is not
in a bargaining unit of public employes as created under the
[act of July 23, 1970 (P.L.563, No.195), known as the "Public
Employe Relations Act."] Public Employe Relations Act. However,
this definition shall not apply to anyone who has the duties and
responsibilities of the position of business manager or
personnel director[, but not to include principals]. This
definition shall include principals, assistant principals or
vice principals.
"School employer" shall mean a board of school directors, the
area career and technical school board of directors or the
intermediate unit board of school directors as defined in this
act.
(b) The purpose of this section is to provide a means by
which compensation and other matters affecting school
administrators can be resolved within the framework of a
management team philosophy.
(c) School employers[, upon the written request of a
majority of the school administrators in the district,] shall be
required to meet and discuss in good faith with the school
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administrators on [administrator] compensation, performance
evaluations and benefits prior to adoption of the [compensation
plan] agreement.
(d) School employers shall be required to adopt written
[administrator compensation plans] agreements which shall apply
to all eligible school administrators, as provided in this
section, and which shall continue in effect until a time
specified in the [compensation plan] agreement, but in no event
for less than one school year nor more than five school years.
(e) An [administrator compensation plan] agreement adopted
pursuant to this section shall include, but not be limited to,
the following items:
(1) A description of the program determining administrative
salaries.
(2) Salary amounts or a salary schedule.
(3) A listing of fringe benefits.
(4) A process for performance evaluation, which shall comply
with section 1138.4.
(5) A complaint process under the school employer's board
policy.
(6) If, after the school employer's complaint process is
conducted and a dispute still exists, or if no complaint process
exists in the school employer's board policy, a nonbinding
process for the mediation of disputes arising out of the
interpretation of provisions of an agreement, with mediation
services to be provided by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Mediation.
The following shall apply:
(i) If the school administrator elects the mediation process
provided under this clause to resolve a dispute, the election
shall constitute a waiver of any right the school administrator
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may have to file an appeal under section 1131.
(ii) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit
a school administrator from appealing the involved action of the
board to a court in accordance with 2 Pa.C.S. Chs. 5 Subch. A
(relating to practice and procedure of Commonwealth agencies)
and 7 Subch. A (relating t