Pennsylvania State Education Association

Week of 9-18-2023

Inside this issue

• Lawmakers advance bill to extend substitute teacher flexibility
• Enter to win the 2023 UBenefit grant giveaway
• Tell the U.S. Dept. of Ed. what Pennsylvania’s schools need
• PSEA celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
• PSEA’s December House of Delegates will be in person only
• Welcome to the new, improved PEARL

The state Senate this week passed legislation that, if signed into law, will continue several effective measures that have broadened the pool of substitute teachers in Pennsylvania schools. The bill also authorizes the distribution of mental health funds to schools and continues a state-funded program that supports college students who are completing school-based mental health internships.

Here are key provisions of the bill:

• Retired educators. The bill permanently extends the authority for administrators to call retirees or non-annuitants without regard to order.
• Student educators. The bill lifts limits (for the next three years) on the number of days students enrolled in college teacher preparation programs may serve as substitutes, while preserving limits when the individual is taking part in a student teacher program.
• Graduates waiting on certification. The bill permanently allows individuals who have completed all the requirements of a college teacher preparation program but haven’t yet completed the certification process to serve as substitutes.
• “Classroom monitor” pilot program. The bill continues a provision of Act 91 for another three years that allows people with 60 college credits or paraprofessionals with at least three years of experience to fill in for teachers as “classroom monitors.” Classroom monitors are allowed to oversee classrooms but not instruct students, grade assignments, or create work.

“PSEA’s top public policy priority is addressing the educator shortage,” said PSEA President Aaron Chapin. “PSEA mobilized its resources to support Act 91 of 2021 two years ago, and we are happy that policymakers prioritized action on the bill this week. PSEA is also very pleased to see lawmakers put initiatives into place to provide much-needed funding to address student mental health and help recruit more school-based mental health professionals.”

House Bill 27 now goes back to the House of Representatives. As always, we’ll keep you updated with any new developments.

Enter to Win Today!

As a “thank you” to all educators, support professionals, and administrators who dedicate their careers to Pennsylvania’s students, Kades-Margolis and Security Benefit Group have partnered for the fifth year to offer 66, $200 UBenefit grants.

Entries will be accepted through Sept. 30, 2023. To apply for the grant, you will need to provide your contact information, PSEA member number and region, and an estimate of your own money spent on supplies and materials annually (if applicable). 

Visit the website at www.ubenefit.org to apply today.

PSEA firmly believes our members are the best source of information about what does and doesn’t work in our schools. That’s why we encourage you to share your opinion on this public comment form that will be shared with the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. Secretary Cardona established 10 Regional Advisory Committees (RACs) and tasked them with gathering feedback about educational needs in each region.

“We would love to share this public comment form with as many stakeholders as possible so that Secretary Cordona is provided a thorough snapshot of the educational needs of Pennsylvania,” said Elizabeth Raff, former Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year and current Mid-Atlantic RAC member. “PSEA members should have a voice in advocating for the educational needs of their region.”

Comments close on Oct. 3, so get your submission in before then.  

From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, we celebrate the history and culture of Latino and Hispanic communities and recognize how these communities have contributed to our society.

This celebration is designed to coincide with the Independence Day celebrations of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua (Sept. 15, 1821); Mexico (Sept. 16, 1810); and Chile (Sept. 18, 1810).

Find lessons, activities, videos, and more here.

Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month from PSEA!

We’re happy to announce that the PSEA House of Delegates in December will be fully in person. That means the virtual or hybrid model we’ve been using since December 2020 will not be available this time. Delegates who gather at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown hotel Dec. 1-2 will benefit from meeting face-to-face and convening in a shared space to do the vital business of this Association.

If you’d like to review key documents related to the House of Delegates, visit PSEA.org/hod.

The PSEA Center for Professional Learning recently relaunched the PEARL online learning system with many updates and improvements. We are excited to invite you to dive into a refreshed learning experience on a new and improved PEARL!

Featured updates to PEARL are described on our brand new PEARL Updates Page where you can learn about the latest improvements including:

• Login using your PSEA.org credentials: PSEA members have instant access to PEARL with just their PSEA.org username and password.
• Personalized Dashboard: Access all your courses, certificates, badges, and other information in a single space.
• Updated, Mobile-Friendly Interface: This modernized look and feel enhances your experience on any device.
• Simplified Navigation: The navigation bar is available from every page and connects you to all you need.
• Enhanced Support: Easily get help with improved FAQs, clarifying help videos, and a direct connection to tech support using the integrated form.

You’ll see several other enhancements when you dive into learning on PEARL.

We understand that change can be confusing. That’s why we also improved our member support with an updated FAQ Page and a showcase of videos showing you all the steps you need to make the most of PEARL.

Some of the videos to get you started are linked below:

• HOW TO: Log into PEARL using your PSEA.org Credentials
• HOW TO: Search and Browse for Courses
• HOW TO: Use Your Dashboard