Pennsylvania HB 829: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in duties and powers of boards of school directors, further providing for kindergartens; in pupils and attendance, further providing for age limits and temporary residence, for definitions and for when provided; and, in early learning programs, providing for full-day kindergarten.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 860
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 829
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SCOTT, FREEMAN, PROBST, MADDEN, RABB, HILL-EVANS,
PIELLI, GIRAL, SANCHEZ, OTTEN, CERRATO, MALAGARI AND RIVERA,
MARCH 10, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 10, 2025
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 duties and powers of boards of
school directors, further providing for kindergartens; in
pupils and attendance, further providing for age limits and
temporary residence, for definitions and for when provided;
and, in early learning programs, providing for full-day
kindergarten.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sections 503 and 1301 of the act of March 10,
1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,
are amended to read:
Section 503. Kindergartens.--(a) The board of school
directors in [any] each school district [may] shall establish
and maintain kindergartens for children between the ages of
[four] three and [six] five years. When established, the
kindergartens shall be an integral part of the elementary school
system of the district, and be kept open on a full-time basis
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for [not less than two and one-half hours each day for] the full
school term as provided in section 1501.
(b) The number of full-day kindergartens in any one district
shall be fixed by the board of school directors, and shall be
open during the school year and made available to all children
residing in the district who are of the age fixed pursuant to
subsection (a).
[If the average attendance in any one kindergarten in any
district is ten or less for the school year, the school
directors shall, at the close of the school year, discontinue
the same.]
(c) The board of school directors shall appoint and assign a
sufficient number of teachers to such kindergartens, who shall
be certified in accordance with the rules and regulations
prescribed by the [Council of Basic Education] State Board of
Education.
Section 1301. Age Limits; Temporary Residence.--(a) Every
child, being a resident of any school district, between the ages
of six (6) and twenty-one (21) years, may attend the public
schools in his district, subject to the provisions of this act.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a
child who attains the age of twenty-one (21) years during the
school term and who has not graduated from high school may
continue to attend the public schools in his district free of
charge until the end of the school term. The board of school
directors of any school district may admit to the schools of the
district, with or without the payment of tuition, any non-
resident child temporarily residing in the district, and may
require the attendance of such non-resident child in the same
manner and on the same conditions as it requires the attendance
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of a resident child.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) or any other provision of
law or regulation to the contrary, a child, being a resident of
a school district, between the ages of three and five years may
attend full-day kindergarten in accordance with the provisions
of this subarticle and the rules, regulations or standards
prescribed by the State Board of Education without the payment
of tuition, provided:
(1) the school district of the non-resident child is in the
same intermediate unit; and
(2) the school districts have entered an agreement to offer
full-day kindergarten jointly in accordance with regulations of
the State Board of Education.
Section 2. The definition of "compulsory school age" in
section 1326 of the act is amended to read:
Section 1326. Definitions.--When used in this article, the
following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
* * *
"Compulsory school age" shall mean the period of a child's
life from the time the child's parents elect to have the child
enter school and which shall be no later than six (6) years of
age until the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age. Nothing
in this section shall be construed to preclude a child's parents
from electing to have the child attend full-day kindergarten at
three (3) years of age. The term does not include a child who
holds a certificate of graduation from a regularly accredited,
licensed, registered or approved high school.
* * *
Section 3. Section 1361 of the act is amended to read:
Section 1361. When Provided.--(1) The board of school
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directors in any school district may, out of the funds of the
district, provide for the f