PSEA is a community of education professionals who make a difference in the lives of students every day.
January 7. PSEA President Rich Askey announces that PSEA does not support the departments of Education’s and Health’s plan to allow schools to bring more elementary and special education students into classrooms for in-person instruction, arguing that additional students should not return to the classroom while the virus continues to spread unabated.
December 9. PSEA Field staff provide local association leaders with tools and supports aimed at applying pressure to schools that are not complying with state COVID-19 guidance.December 10. PSEA releases a new Legal Alert on school entities’ compliance with state COVID-19 guidelines and encourages members to notify PSEA about school entities that are not complying with state guidelines using a new web form.
December 11. PSEA President Rich Askey sends a letter to the secretaries of Education and Health, urging them to take immediate action to clarify two elements of the state guidance for schools related to recommendations following identification of cases of COVID-19 in a school setting.
December 2020 – January 2021. PSEA engages in regular conversations with the state departments of Education and Health in order to plan for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to school staff members.
November 11. PSEA President Rich Askey calls on school districts to follow state public health guidelines for school operations, including transitioning to remote learning when community transmission rates reach critical levels, emphasizing that all schools must follow state guidance to the letter.
November 23. PSEA supports Gov. Tom Wolf’s order requiring schools in counties with critical levels of COVID-19 spread to enforce state health and safety rules.
September 1. PSEA influences the Department of Education’s guidance related to when and for how long schools should close when students or staff members contract COVID-19.
September 29. PSEA supports the passage of legislation that places greater emphasis on student learning over standardized testing and seeks to protect the teacher preparation pipeline as schools cope with the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Senate Bill 1216 was signed into law as Act 136 on Nov. 25.
September 30. PSEA opposes and helps defeat legislation that would divert up to $500 million of Pennsylvania’s federal CARES Act money to unaccountable private schools and private educational services.
August 18
PSEA works with the state departments of Education and Health on updated school guidance to clarify that all students and staff must wear face coverings at all times in school, with limited exceptions. The rule applies even when students and staff are able to maintain 6 feet of social distance.
August 10
The PA departments of Education and Health release guidance that includes reopening metrics, identifying counties at “low,” “moderate,” or “substantial” risk.
August 3
PSEA begins a statewide digital advertising campaign, encouraging Pennsylvanians to take commonsense safety precautions so that schools can open safely.
PSEA President Rich Askey joins other statewide education associations to send a letter to Gov. Wolf and Secretary Rivera, encouraging them to create metrics to determine when schools are safe to reopen for in-person instruction or when they should use hybrid or online approaches.
July/August
PSEA Field staff work with local leaders to educate members and respond to questions on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) leave provisions, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) information, and various issues pertaining to remote instruction. PSEA Field and Legal staff work with local leaders and individual members to address health and safety concerns and requests for ADA accomodations.
July 23
PSEA issues legal guidance to members on the reopening of schools.
July 16
PSEA President Rich Askey sends a letter to Gov. Wolf and Secretary Rivera, encouraging them to direct all schools to begin planning for online instruction, in case it is needed.
The PA departments of Education and Health release updated guidance encouraging all schools to adopt reopening plans that require 6 feet of social distance and face coverings.
June/July/August
PSEA local leaders, with guidance and support from PSEA Field staff, work to influence their school reopening plans to ensure that they include key measures aimed at reducing health risks.
June 25
The PA Department of Education releases a comprehensive report, “Considerations for Reopening PA Schools.”
June 24
PSEA begins to offer “Wellness Wednesdays” regularly to help members deal with the mental and emotional challenges of the pandemic.
June 18
PSEA and other major education associations release a 137-page report with issues schools should consider as they adopt reopening plans.
May 29
After intense lobbying by PSEA, the General Assembly approves a state budget that includes a full year of public school funding, with no state funding cuts, even though most state programs received only five months of funding.
May 26
PSEA continues to expand its online continuing professional development options, offering more than 30 courses members can access live or by video.
May 15
PSEA begins to lobby members of Congress for $175 billion in federal emergency aid for K-12 schools and colleges and universities. Members have sent U.S. senators more than 16,000 emails in support of this funding.
May 4
PSEA releases NEA polling results showing that 9 out of 10 parents approve of how educators are handling the COVID-19 pandemic and providing instruction and services to students.
April /May
PSEA Vice President Aaron Chapin and PSEA Treasurer Jeff Ney reach out to every local president across the state to find out what they and their members need.
April 29
PSEA releases legal guidance on ESSA implementation during the COVID-19 emergency.
April 9
Gov. Wolf closes schools for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. School employees continue to be paid, receive health benefits, and earn retirement credit because of Act 13.
April 7
PSEA offers the first “Keeping Calm in the Chaos” mindfulness training webinar, which has hundreds of attendees and leads to the creation of “Wellness Wednesdays” beginning in June.
April 6
PSEA issues key legal guidance to members about how Act 13 works and what protections members have.
April 4
PSEA expands its online continuing professional development options so members can easily access courses.
March
PSEA staff guide and support local leaders to address members’ health and safety concerns, remote instruction issues, and many other school closure matters with employers.
March 25
After PSEA members send 39,543 emails to state legislators, the General Assembly passes Act 13, which ensures that all school employees continue to be paid, receive health benefits, and earn a full year of retirement credit, even while schools are closed. Gov. Wolf signs Act 13 COVID-19 emergency bill into law a few days later.
March 17
PSEA creates www.psea.org/covid19 to provide up-to-date information and resources about the COVID-19 emergency. PSEA members have visited it over 200,000 times.
March 12
PSEA President Rich Askey sends a letter to Gov. Wolf and Secretary Rivera, encouraging them to protect the paychecks and health care of education support professionals who may be furloughed if schools close because of COVID-19.
