Pennsylvania HB 2375: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in charter schools, further providing for definitions, for charter school requirements, for establishment of charter school, for causes for nonrenewal or termination, for powers and duties of department, for cyber charter school requirements and prohibitions and for establishment of cyber charter school; and, in the State Board of Education, further providing for powers and duties of the board.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 3180
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2375
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY RIVERA, VENKAT, HILL-EVANS, PIELLI, DONAHUE,
SANCHEZ, INGLIS, D. WILLIAMS, FRANKEL, CIRESI, CEPEDA-
FREYTIZ, BRENNAN, MAZZOCCO, SHUSTERMAN, GUENST AND PROBST,
APRIL 13, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, APRIL 14, 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 charter schools, further providing
for definitions, for charter school requirements, for
establishment of charter school, for causes for nonrenewal or
termination, for powers and duties of department, for cyber
charter school requirements and prohibitions and for
establishment of cyber charter school; and, in the State
Board of Education, further providing for powers and duties
of the board.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1703-A of the act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
amended by adding a definition to read:
Section 1703-A. Definitions.--The following words and
phrases when used in this article shall have the meanings given
to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise:
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"Artificial intelligence" shall mean a machine-based system
that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make
predictions, recommendations or decisions influencing real or
virtual environments. Systems use machine and human-based inputs
to:
(1) perceive real and virtual environments;
(2) abstract perceptions into models through analysis in an
automated manner; and
(3) use model inference to formulate options for information
or action.
* * *
Section 2. Section 1715-A(a) of the act is amended by adding
a paragraph to read:
Section 1715-A. Charter School Requirements.--(a) Charter
schools shall be required to comply with the following
provisions:
* * *
(13) A charter school may not adopt an instructional model
that relies on artificial intelligence instead of professional
employes to provide direct instruction to students.
* * *
Section 3. Section 1717-A(c) of the act is amended to read:
Section 1717-A. Establishment of Charter School.--* * *
(c) (1) An application to establish a charter school shall
be submitted to the local board of school directors of the
district where the charter school will be located by November 15
of the school year preceding the school year in which the
charter school will be established except that for a charter
school beginning in the 1997-1998 school year, an application
must be received by July 15, 1997. In the 1997-1998 school year
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only, applications shall be limited to recipients of fiscal year
1996-1997 Department of Education charter school planning
grants.
(2) A local board of school directors may not consider or
accept an application to establish a charter school with an
instructional model that relies on artificial intelligence
instead of professional employes to provide direct instruction
to students.
(3) The refusal by a local board of school directors to
consider or accept an application based on an instructional
model that relies on artificial intelligence shall not be
subject to appeal to the appeal board.
* * *
Section 4. Section 1729-A(a) of the act is amended by adding
a paragraph to read:
Section 1729-A. Causes for Nonrenewal or Termination.--(a)
During the term of the charter or at the end of the term of the
charter, the local board of school directors may choose to
revoke or not to renew the charter based on any of the
following:
* * *
(7) Adoption of an instructional model that relies on
artificial intelligence instead of professional employes to
provide direct instruction to students.
* * *
Section 5. Section 1741-A(a)(1) and (3)(ii) of the act are
amended to read:
Section 1741-A. Powers and duties of department.
(a) Powers and duties.--The department shall:
(1) The following:
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(i) Receive, review and act on applications for the
creation of a cyber charter school and have the power to
request further information from applicants, obtain input
from interested persons or entities and hold hearings
regarding applications.
(ii) The department may not consider or accept an
application to establish a cyber charter school with an
instructional model that relies on artificial
intelligence instead of professional employees to provide
direct instruction to students. The department's refusal
to consider or accept an application under this
subparagraph shall not be subject to appeal to the app