HB 2157 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in career and technical education, providing for governance of schools and institutes.

PRINTER'S NO.    2791

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2157
                                               Session of
                                                 2026

     INTRODUCED BY DAY, KUZMA AND M. MACKENZIE, JANUARY 23, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 26, 2026


                                    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 career and technical education,
 6      providing for governance of schools and institutes.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10   as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11   section to read:
12      Section 1859.    Governance of Schools and Institutes.--(a)   No
13   later than three years after the effective date of this
14   subsection, the administration, governance, operation and
15   management of a school or an institute under this subarticle
16   shall be transferred to a governance board.
17      (b)   The membership of a governance board shall consist of a
18   minimum of five members who are approved by the department. A
19   member may not be an individual who is:
20      (1)   a member of a board of school directors;
 1      (2)    a member of an employe organization;
 2      (3)    an employe of a school district; or
 3      (4)    a public official.
 4      (c)    The department shall establish policies and procedures
 5   for the submission and approval of members to a governance
 6   board. The following shall apply:
 7      (1)    The policies and procedures shall require the department
 8   to consider whether the individual submitted for approval
 9   adequately represents any of the following:
10      (i)    The trades, industries and businesses located within the
11   local workforce development area established in accordance with
12   the act of December 18, 2001 (P.L.949, No.114), known as the
13   Workforce Development Act, which encompasses the physical
14   location of the school or institute.
15      (ii)    The staff of the school or institute.
16      (iii)    The parents or guardians of students enrolled in and
17   attending the school or institute.
18      (2)    The policies and procedures shall require the department
19   to consider whether the individual submitted for approval is
20   adequately qualified for the administration, governance,
21   operation and management of a school or an institute.
22      (3)    The policies and procedures shall be posted on the
23   department's publicly accessible Internet website.
24      (4)    An individual submitted for approval shall be subject to
25   a public hearing.
26      (5)    An individual submitted for approval shall be approved
27   or denied within sixty days of the submission.
28      (d)    Upon approval, members of a governance board shall serve
29   for a four-year term, commencing the day of their approval. The
30   length of the terms of office of the initial members shall be

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 1   determined by the casting of lots in accordance with the
 2   following:
 3      (1)   The terms of office of one-fourth of the members shall
 4   expire at the end of the first year.
 5      (2)   The terms of office of one-fourth of the members shall
 6   expire at the end of the second year.
 7      (3)   The terms of office of one-fourth of the members shall
 8   expire at the end of the third year.
 9      (4)   The terms of office of the remaining one-fourth of the
10   members shall expire at the end of the fourth year.
11      (e)   A governance board shall have all authority necessary
12   for the administration, governance, operation and management of
13   a school or an institute, including the authority and duties
14   under section 1850.1(b).
15      (f)   Nothing in this section shall be construed to provide
16   any additional authority to a school district or an employe
17   organization.
18      (g)   A governance board shall be considered a local agency
19   under the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the
20   Right-to-Know Law.
21      (h)   A governance board shall be considered an agency under
22   65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings).
23      (i)   As used in this section, the following words and phrases
24   shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless
25   the context clearly indicates otherwise:
26      "Department" means the Department of Education of the
27   Commonwealth.
28      "Employe organization" means as defined in section 1101-A.
29      "Public official" means as defined in 65 Pa.C.S. § 1102
30   (relating to definitions).

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1     Section 2.    This act shall take effect immediately.




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