PENNSYLVANIA
500 school districts in Pennsylvania serve 3,287 public schools. During the 2018-2019 school year, there were 1,722,461 students enrolled in public schools. Roughly 54% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. Pennsylvania has a policy directly addressing school climate surveying, where the Office for Safe Schools of the Pennsylvania Department of Education releases a school climate survey to schools. Other policies that address school climate include bullying prevention, school safety, and disaster planning, character education programs, youth suicide awareness and prevention, special education services, and protection of handicapped students. Pennsylvania has a specific policy addressing dating violence where schools are aided in establishing policies on how to handle dating violence in students and training for staff. There is also a policy that states that there should be developed a trauma-informed approach plan to be used by school entities. There is also a policy where school entities shall provide training to staff on trauma-informed education based on evidence-based programs.
Safety
PA School Climate Survey Site.
The Office for Safe Schools of the Pennsylvania Department of Education announces the release of school climate surveys to all school entities in the Commonwealth. The surveys are intended to provide schools with formative and summative climate data for use with needs assessments, program development and short- and long-term planning.
https://paschoolclimatesurvey.org/wfAbout.aspx
Who does this protect? Administrators, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Definitions of harassment, bullying, and cyberbullying and the behaviors associated with these actions in Pennsylvania policies.
- Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 18 Section 2709. Harassment.
https://law.justia.com/codes/pennsylvania/2021/title-18/chapter-27/section-2709/
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 14. Article XIII-A. Safe Schools. Section 1303.1-A. Policy Related to Bullying.
Pennsylvania asks schools to develop and implement procedures to prevent bullying and harassment behavior and the consequences of such behavior. Policies also explain that procedures are needed for reporting an incidence of bullying and investigating it.
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 14. Article XIII-A. Safe Schools. Section 1303.1-A. Policy Related to Bullying.
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 14. Article XIII-A. Safe Schools. Section 1303-A. Reporting.
Pennsylvania anti-bullying laws cover incidents that occur on school property, and school-sponsored events/activities but not the off-school property.
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 14. Article XIII-A. Safe Schools. Section 1303.1-A. Policy Related to Bullying.
Who does this protect? Students, Teachers
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Pennsylvania schools need to develop plans for dealing with emergencies.
- Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 35. Section 7701. Duties concerning disaster prevention.
https://law.justia.com/codes/pennsylvania/2021/title-35/chapter-77/section-7701/
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 13. Section 1303-B. School safety and security assessment criteria
- The Pennsylvania Code § 10.24. Emergency and nonemergency response and preparedness.
Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 13. Section 1309-B. School safety and security coordinator.
The school safety and security coordinator shall oversee all school police officers, school resource officers, school security guards, and policies and procedures in the school entity and report directly to the chief school administrator.
Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 14. Article XIII-A. Safe Schools. Section 1302-A. Office for Safe Schools.
The office shall have the power and duty to;
- Coordinate antiviolence efforts between school, professional, parental, governmental, law enforcement, and community organizations and associations.
- Collect, develop and disseminate information, policies, strategies, and other information to assist in the development of programs to impact school violence.
Annually, schools and custodial child care facilities shall conduct at least one disaster response or emergency preparedness plan drill. Each school shall conduct one security drill within ninety days of the commencement of the school year. After ninety days from the commencement of the school year, each school may conduct two school security drills in place of two fire drills.
- Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 35. Section 7701. Duties concerning disaster prevention.
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 14. Section 1517. Fire and Emergency Evacuation Drills.
A school police officer is a law enforcement officer employed by a school entity or nonpublic school whose responsibilities, including work hours, are established by the school entity or nonpublic school. Powers and duties include enforcing good order in school buildings, on school buses, and on school grounds in the respective school entities or nonpublic schools. They may carry firearms on school property if they have completed basic training required by Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission or graduated from State Police Academy.
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 13. Section 1301-C. Definitions.
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 13. Section 1306-C. Powers and duties.
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 13. Section 1314-C. School security guards.
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 18. Section 912 Possession of a weapon on school property.
Students and employees are not allowed to possess weapons or firearms on school property.
Who does this protect? Students, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Teaching/Learning
Pennsylvania provides students with disabilities the accommodations and resources they need to have an appropriate education.
- Pennsylvania Code Title 22 Chapter 14 Special education services and programs.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/pennsylvania/title-22/part-i/subpart-a/chapter-14/
- Pennsylvania Code Title 22 Chapter 16 Special education for gifted students.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/pennsylvania/title-22/part-i/subpart-a/chapter-16/
Who does this protect? Students, Students with disabilities
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Interpersonal Relationships
There is currently no policy surrounding Respect and Diversity in Pennsylvania. For more information on school climate, please visit us at Services – National School Climate Center
Institutional Environments
Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 2016 Act 86. Section 510.2. Publication of Rules Regulations and Policies.
The board of school directors of a school district will post on its website policies or regulations that school districts need to adopt about parental involvement policy for parents and guardians of students participating.
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2016&sessind=0&act=86
Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 2005 Act 55. Section 116. Technical Assistance and Information Provided by the Department of Education.
The Department of Education shall establish a clearinghouse of information based on scientific research when it comes to parental involvement programs and policies.
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2005&sessInd=0&act=55
Who does this protect? Students, Parents
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Pennsylvania schools need to develop plans for dealing with emergencies.
- Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 35. Section 7701. Duties concerning disaster prevention.
https://law.justia.com/codes/pennsylvania/2021/title-35/chapter-77/section-7701/
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- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 13. Section 1303-B. School safety and security assessment criteria
- https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/uconsCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&yr=1949&sessInd=0&smthLwInd=0&act=014&chpt=13B
- The Pennsylvania Code § 10.24. Emergency and nonemergency response and preparedness.
Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 13. Section 1309-B. School safety and security coordinator.
The school safety and security coordinator shall oversee all school police officers, school resource officers, school security guards, and policies and procedures in the school entity and report directly to the chief school administrator
Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 14. Article XIII-A. Safe Schools. Section 1302-A. Office for Safe Schools.
The office shall have the power and duty to;
- Coordinate antiviolence efforts between school, professional, parental, governmental, law enforcement, and community organizations and associations.
- Collect, develop and disseminate information, policies, strategies, and other information to assist in the development of programs to impact school violence.
Annually, schools and custodial child care facilities shall conduct at least one disaster response or emergency preparedness plan drill. Each school shall conduct one security drill within ninety days of the commencement of the school year. After ninety days from the commencement of the school year, each school may conduct two school security drills in place of two fire drills.
- Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 35. Section 7701. Duties concerning disaster prevention.
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 14. Section 1517. Fire and Emergency Evacuation Drills.
A school police officer is a law enforcement officer employed by a school entity or nonpublic school whose responsibilities, including work hours, are established by the school entity or nonpublic school. Powers and duties include enforcing good order in school buildings, on school buses, and on school grounds in the respective school entities or nonpublic schools. They may carry firearms on school property if they have completed basic training. Required by Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission or graduated from State Police Academy
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 13. Section 1301-C. Definitions.
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 13. Section 1306-C. Powers and duties.
- Pennsylvania Unconsolidated Statutes 1949 Act 13. Section 1314-C. School security guards.
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 18. Section 912 Possession of a weapon on school property.
Students and employees are not allowed to possess weapons or firearms on school property
Who does this protect? Students, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Social Media
There is currently no policy surrounding Leadership in Pennsylvania. For more information on school climate, please visit us at Services – National School
There is currently no policy surrounding Professional Relationships in Pennsylvania. For more information on school climate, please visit us at Services – National School