HARRISBURG- The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has advanced legislation to change the annual instructional time requirement to 180 days or 990 secondary and 900 elementary hours. The bill, known as House Bill 1507, was proposed by Representative Jesse Topper and has received bipartisan support. The legislation would give all education institutions increased flexibility in scheduling instructional time, allowing for more individualized education, student support, and focused workforce development.
The bill sets a standard of 180 days or 990 secondary and 900 elementary hours, providing equality across the education spectrum by giving all schools the option for instructional flexibility without needing to request it from the Department of Education. The legislation would allow school districts, intermediate units, and career and technical centers to schedule instructional time in a way that best suits their students’ needs.
Representative Topper believes that the bill will further modernize Pennsylvania’s educational opportunities. “This legislation will give all education institutions the flexibility they need to provide the best possible education for their students,” said Topper. “By allowing schools to schedule instructional time in a way that best suits their students’ needs, we can increase individualized education, student support, and focused workforce development.
“House Bill 1507 has received support from education advocates across the state. The legislation is expected to be voted on by the Pennsylvania Senate in the coming weeks.
