HB 1732 — An Act amending the act of January 28, 1988 (P.L.24, No.11), known as the Private Academic Schools Act, further providing for application for license, for issuance and renewal of license and for promulgation of rules and regulations.

PRINTER'S NO.   2132

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1732
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY CUTLER, STRUZZI, GILLEN AND KUZMA, JULY 14, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JULY 14, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of January 28, 1988 (P.L.24, No.11), entitled
 2      "An act defining and providing for the licensing and
 3      regulation of private academic schools; reestablishing the
 4      State Board of Private Academic Schools; imposing penalties;
 5      and making repeals," further providing for application for
 6      license, for issuance and renewal of license and for
 7      promulgation of rules and regulations.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.     Section 7(b)(1) and (6) of the act of January 28,
11   1988 (P.L.24, No.11), known as the Private Academic Schools Act,
12   are amended to read:
13   Section 7.     Application for license.
14      * * *
15      (b)   Application contents.--The application shall require a
16   statement showing:
17            (1)   The title or name and proposed address of the
18      school, grades and classes, together with the name of the
19      owners and controlling officers. An application may be
20      submitted prior to securing a physical facility through a
21      lease or ownership if a facility's planning statement is
 1      included in the application and identifies the school site
 2      under active consideration, a timeline for finalizing the
 3      lease or sale and a contingency plan in the event that the
 4      lease or sale is not timely executed.
 5          * * *
 6          (6)     The qualifications of teachers, professional staff
 7      and director. An application may be submitted that includes
 8      staffing projections and identifies the proposed teachers,
 9      professional staff and director who meet the qualification
10      requirements, and who the applicant school intends to
11      formally hire upon receipt of licensure.
12          * * *
13      Section 2.       Section 8 of the act is amended by adding a
14   subsection to read:
15   Section 8.    Issuance and renewal of license.
16      * * *
17      (a.1)     Conditional approval of licensure.--
18          (1)     The board may grant conditional approval of initial
19      licensure, which approval is provisional and temporary and
20      does not exceed six months, if the board finds that the
21      application and the school for which a license is sought
22      substantially complies with this act and the rules and
23      regulations promulgated under this act but certain
24      application components remain pending, which may include:
25                 (i)    formal hiring of staffing projections identified
26          in the application or otherwise properly qualified staff;
27          and
28                 (ii)    submission of an occupying lease or face copy
29          of the deed and facility inspection completed by the
30          department as provided for in section 12(a).

20250HB1732PN2132                      - 2 -
 1            (2)   The board may not grant an initial license under
 2      paragraph (1) to an applicant school until the applicant
 3      school submits evidence fulfilling the conditions for
 4      approval. Failure to fulfill the conditions for approval
 5      within the six month conditional approval period shall result
 6      in revocation of the conditional approval without further
 7      notice.
 8      * * *
 9      Section 3.        Section 14 of the act is amended to read:
10   Section 14.     Promulgation of rules and regulations.
11      (a)   Rules and regulations generally.--The board shall
12   promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the
13   purposes of this act. The rules and regulations of the State
14   Board of Private Academic Schools in force on the effective date
15   of this act, and not countermanded by this act, shall remain in
16   effect until repealed or amended by the board[, but not for a
17   period of more than one year].
18      (b)   Qualifications for teachers, professional staff and
19   directors.--
20            (1)   Not later than 180 days after the effective date of
21      this paragraph, the board shall promulgate rules and
22      regulations and establish policies, principles and standards
23      necessary to carry out the purposes of this act as they
24      relate to the qualifications of teachers, professional staff
25      and directors, which policies:
26                  (i)    Provide the authority for private academic
27            schools to apply for emergency permits and long-term or
28            day-to-day substitute permits through the department.
29                  (ii)    Provide for any additional requirements,
30            conditions or exemptions as may be required to issue

20250HB1732PN2132                       - 3 -
 1        emergency permits, long-term or day-to-day substitute
 2        permits to accommodate the ability of private academic
 3        schools to have fully qualified and properly certificated
 4        or permitted teachers, professional staff and directors
 5        to provide instruction and student services.
 6        (2)   Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, the
 7    board may not issue an initial license or a renewal license
 8    to a private academic school that identifies for employment
 9    teachers, professional staff and directors qualified under
10    paragraph (1) until the rules and regulations, policies,
11    principles and standards required by paragraph (1) are in
12    effect.
13    Section 4.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250HB1732PN2132                 - 4 -