HB 17 — 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, further providing for subjects of instruction and flag code.

PRINTER'S NO.   2

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 17
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY WATRO, M. MACKENZIE, COOPER, CUTLER, HAMM,
        NEILSON, RAPP, KAUFFMAN, FREEMAN, TWARDZIK, JAMES AND ROWE,
        JANUARY 8, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 8, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
 2      act relating to the public school system, including certain
 3      provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
 4      schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
 5      laws relating thereto," in terms and courses of study,
 6      further providing for subjects of instruction and flag code.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    Section 1511 of the act of March 10, 1949
10   (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
11   amended to read:
12      Section 1511.    Subjects of Instruction; Flag Code.--In every
13   elementary public and private school, established and maintained
14   in this Commonwealth, the following subjects shall be taught, in
15   the English language and from English texts: English, including
16   spelling, reading [and], writing, including print, joined
17   italics and cursive handwriting, arithmetic, geography, the
18   history of the United States and of Pennsylvania, civics,
19   including loyalty to the State and National Government, safety
 1   education, and the humane treatment of birds and animals,
 2   health, including physical education, and physiology, music and
 3   art. Other subjects shall be taught in the public elementary
 4   schools and also in the public high schools as may be prescribed
 5   by the standards of the State Board of Education. All such
 6   subjects, except foreign languages, shall be taught in the
 7   English language and from English texts: Provided, however,
 8   That, at the discretion of the [Superintendent of Public
 9   Instruction] Secretary of Education, the teaching of subjects in
10   a language other than English may be permitted as part of a
11   sequence in foreign language study or as part of a bilingual
12   education program if the teaching personnel are properly
13   certified in the subject fields. Each school district shall
14   provide and distribute to each pupil, enrolled in the eighth
15   grade of the public schools, one illustrated copy of the
16   National Flag Code, and shall, from time to time, make available
17   such copies as are necessary for replacements from year to year.
18   It shall be the duty of each teacher in the public schools to
19   make such use of the code as may, from time to time, seem
20   proper.
21      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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