Pennsylvania SB 1116: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, providing for communism education.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1356
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1116
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY MASTRIANO, DUSH, ARGALL AND LAUGHLIN,
DECEMBER 10, 2025
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, DECEMBER 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 terms and courses of study,
providing for communism education.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 1556. Communism Education.--(a) Beginning with the
2026-2027 school year, each school entity shall provide age-
appropriate instruction to students on all of the following:
(1) The origins, development and core tenets of communist
ideology.
(2) The historical establishment and governance of communist
regimes around the world.
(3) Documented human rights abuses, restrictions on
individual freedoms, economic failures and social impacts
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associated with communist governments.
(4) First-person accounts, survivor testimony or primary-
source materials relating to persons persecuted by communist
regimes, where age-appropriate.
(5) A comparison of communist political systems with the
democratic principles of the United States, including:
(i) constitutional limitations on government;
(ii) separation of powers;
(iii) due process;
(iv) freedom of speech;
(v) freedom of religion; and
(vi) protection of individual rights.
(b) Instruction under this section may be integrated into
existing courses of instruction, including:
(1) United States history;
(2) world history;
(3) civics;
(4) government;
(5) economics; and
(6) world cultures.
(c) Instruction under this section shall be consistent with
the applicable State academic standards.
(d) (1) The department shall develop and make publicly
available all documents appropriate for use in satisfying
subsection (a), including:
(i) model curriculum;
(ii) primary-source materials;
(iii) instructional resources; and
(iv) supporting documents.
(2) To develop documents as required in paragraph (1), the
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department shall, when practicable, consult with:
(i) historians;
(ii) human rights organizations;
(iii) democracy education organizations; and
(iv) survivors of communist regimes.
(e) The department shall make materials developed under this
section available on the department's publicly accessible
Internet website by May 1, 2026.
(f) A school entity may utilize the department's materials
or may adopt locally selected materials that meet the
requirements of this section.
(g) The department shall make available professional
development programs to assist educators in fulfilling the
instructional requirements of this section. Training may
address:
(1) The historical, economic and social impacts of
communism.
(2) Best practices for age-appropriate instruction.
(3) Methods for facilitating civil and open classroom
discussions.
(4) The use of primary-source documents and survivor
testimony to support critical thinking.
(h) Professional development may be delivered by the
department, intermediate units or qualified external partners
and may be offered in person or online.
(i) The department may support, encourage or facilitate
public awareness or educational initiatives related to:
(1) The experiences of victims of communist regimes.
(2) Recognition or commemoration events that highlight the
dangers of totalitarian ideologies.
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(3) Partnerships with museums, universities, survivor
organizations or civic institutions.
(j) Participation in any initiative under this section shall
be voluntary for school entities.
(k) Beginning December 1, 2027, and annually thereafter,
each school entity shall submit to the department a report, in a
form determined by the department, that contains:
(1) confirmation as to whether instruction required under
subsection (a) has been provided;
(2) the grade levels in which instruction was offered; and
(3) a description of the manner in which instruction was
delivered.
(l) The department shall annually compile the information
received under subsection (k) and publish a summary on the
department's publicly accessible Internet website.
(m) The department may promulgate rules and regulations
necessary to implement this section.
(n) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Communism." A political and economic ideology derived from
the writi