SB 645 — An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; in terms and courses of study, further providing for subjects of instruction and flag code and providing for handwriting instruction required; and, in charter schools, further providing for provisions applicable to charter schools and for applicability of other provisions of this act and of other acts and regulations.

PRINTER'S NO.   657

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 645
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY LANGERHOLC, CULVER, ROTHMAN, J. WARD, LAUGHLIN,
        BROWN, MASTRIANO, PENNYCUICK, VOGEL AND STEFANO,
        APRIL 21, 2025

     REFERRED TO EDUCATION, APRIL 21, 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 preliminary provisions, further
 6      providing for definitions; in terms and courses of study,
 7      further providing for subjects of instruction and flag code
 8      and providing for handwriting instruction required; and, in
 9      charter schools, further providing for provisions applicable
10      to charter schools and for applicability of other provisions
11      of this act and of other acts and regulations.
12      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
13   hereby enacts as follows:
14      Section 1.    Section 102 of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30,
15   No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by
16   adding a definition to read:
17      Section 102.    Definitions.--When used in this act the
18   following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
19      * * *
20      "Cursive handwriting."    A style of penmanship in which the
21   symbols of the language are written in a conjoined or flowing
22   manner often with the strokes of successive characters joined
 1   and the angles rounded.
 2      * * *
 3      Section 2.   Section 1511 of the act is amended to read:
 4      Section 1511.   Subjects of Instruction; Flag Code.--In every
 5   elementary public and private school, established and maintained
 6   in this Commonwealth, the following subjects shall be taught, in
 7   the English language and from English texts: English, including
 8   spelling, reading and writing, which shall include cursive
 9   handwriting, arithmetic, geography, the history of the United
10   States and of Pennsylvania, civics, including loyalty to the
11   State and National Government, safety education, and the humane
12   treatment of birds and animals, health, including physical
13   education, and physiology, music and art. Other subjects shall
14   be taught in the public elementary schools and also in the
15   public high schools as may be prescribed by the standards of the
16   State Board of Education. All such subjects, except foreign
17   languages, shall be taught in the English language and from
18   English texts: Provided, however, That, at the discretion of the
19   [Superintendent of Public Instruction] Secretary of Education,
20   the teaching of subjects in a language other than English may be
21   permitted as part of a sequence in foreign language study or as
22   part of a bilingual education program if the teaching personnel
23   are properly certified in the subject fields. Each school
24   district shall provide and distribute to each pupil, enrolled in
25   the eighth grade of the public schools, one illustrated copy of
26   the National Flag Code, and shall, from time to time, make
27   available such copies as are necessary for replacements from
28   year to year. It shall be the duty of each teacher in the public
29   schools to make such use of the code as may, from time to time,
30   seem proper.

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 1         Section 3.   The act is amended by adding a section to read:
 2         Section 1529.   Handwriting Instruction Required.--Each
 3   student shall receive cursive handwriting instruction to ensure
 4   that students have the ability to read and write cursive
 5   handwriting by the end of fifth grade.
 6         Section 4.   Section 1732-A(a) of the act is amended to read:
 7         Section 1732-A.   Provisions Applicable to Charter Schools.--
 8   (a)    Charter schools shall be subject to the following:
 9         Sections 108, 110, 111, 321, 325, 326, 327, 431, 436, 443,
10   510, 518, 527, 708, 736, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 752, 753, 755,
11   771, 776, 777, 808, 809, 810, 1109, 1111, 1112(a), 1301, 1310,
12   1317, 1317.1, 1317.2, 1318, 1326, 1327, 1327.2, 1329, 1330,
13   1332, 1333, 1333.1, 1333.2, 1333.3, 1303-A, 1513, 1517, 1518,
14   1521, 1523, 1529, 1531, 1547, 2014-A, Article XIII-A and Article
15   XIV.
16         Act of July 17, 1961 (P.L.776, No.341), known as the
17   "Pennsylvania Fair Educational Opportunities Act."
18         Act of July 19, 1965 (P.L.215, No.116), entitled "An act
19   providing for the use of eye protective devices by persons
20   engaged in hazardous activities or exposed to known dangers in
21   schools, colleges and universities."
22         Section 4 of the act of January 25, 1966 (1965 P.L.1546,
23   No.541), entitled "An act providing scholarships and providing
24   funds to secure Federal funds for qualified students of the
25   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who need financial assistance to
26   attend postsecondary institutions of higher learning, making an
27   appropriation, and providing for the administration of this
28   act."
29         Act of July 12, 1972 (P.L.765, No.181), entitled "An act
30   relating to drugs and alcohol and their abuse, providing for

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 1   projects and programs and grants to educational agencies, other
 2   public or private agencies, institutions or organizations."
 3      Act of December 15, 1986 (P.L.1595, No.175), known as the
 4   "Antihazing Law."
 5      * * *
 6      Section 5.     Section 1749-A(a)(1) of the act, reenacted and
 7   amended October 31, 2024 (P.L.1129, No.135), is amended by
 8   adding a subparagraph to read:
 9   Section 1749-A.        Applicability of other provisions of this act
10                     and of other acts and regulations.
11      (a)   General requirements.--Cyber charter schools shall be
12   subject to the following:
13            (1)   The following:
14                  * * *
15                  (liii.1)    Section 1529.
16                  * * *
17      Section 6.     This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.




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