THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF EDUCATION PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA DECEMBER 7, 2023 Call to Order - Reginald L. Streater, Esq., President Roll Call - Lynn Rauch, General Counsel Approval of Minutes - November 16, 2023 Committee Reports Registered Student Speakers • Student Speakers List Board of Education - Other Superintendent Remarks - Dr. Tony B. Watlington, Superintendent • Board of Education - Other Superintendent Remarks Presentation Written Testimony • Written Testimony Board of Education - Other Registered Speakers on General Topics • General Speakers List Other Business - Board of Education Reorganization (Added 11.22.2023) Action Item Questions and Answers • Action Item Questions and Answers - Added 12.07.2023 Board of Education - Other Action Item 1. Review of Board Policies (REVIEW - NO ACTION) Board of Education - Other 2. Adoption of Board of Education Public Meeting Schedule 2024 - Updated 12.7.2023 Board of Education - Other
3. Acceptance of Donation of City Funding from the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (“PAID”) and License for Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corporation (Strawberry Mansion CDC) and Strawberry Mansion Neighborhood Action Center (Strawberry Mansion NAC) Operations - Facilities - Other
4. Contract with The DT Firm for Government Relations Consulting ($528,125) - Updated 11.30.2023 Superintendent - Contracts 5. Contract with Scantron for Survey Printing, Mailing, and Processing ($90,000) Evaluation, Research and Accountability - Contracts 6. Approval of Personnel Hires (Updated 12.01.2023) Talent - Other 7. Approval of Personnel Terminations (Updated 12.08.2023) Talent - Other 8. Administration’s Recommendation for Termination of Professional Employees - WITHDRAWN 11.30.2023 Talent - Other 9. Approval of Resignations and Retirements (Updated 12.08.2023) Talent - Other 10. Amendment to Contracts for Contracted Special Education Teachers ($13,904,920) Talent - Amended Contracts 11. Contract with T-Mobile, USA, Inc. for Cellular Communications Services, Equipment and Support ($1,000,000) Information Technology - Contracts 12. Contract with CNI Sales, Inc. for Networking and Communications Infrastructure Equipment and Support ($8,200,000)
Information Technology - Contracts 13. Energy Performance Contract with Johnson Controls Inc. for GESA 1 Phase 4 at the Fitzpatrick Elementary School - ($21,604,300) Operations - Capital Programs - Contracts 14. Capital Award for the Elevator Modernization at Overbrook High School ($1,240,200) Operations - Capital Programs - Capital Awards 15. Capital Award for Electrical Upgrades at Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy (formerly Chester A. Arthur School) ($3,928,900) Operations - Capital Programs - Capital Awards 16. Capital Award for Exterior Renovations at Kensington High School ($7,615,000) Operations - Capital Programs - Capital Awards 17. Contract with Various Vendors for Furniture and Equipment for the Renovated Science Labs at Parkway Northwest High School ($150,000) Operations - Capital Programs - Contracts 18. Amended Contract with Mobilease Modular Space, Inc. at Various Locations ($600,000) Operations - Capital Programs - Amended Contracts
19. Change Orders at Various Locations ($710,816)
Operations - Capital Programs - Other 20. Amendment to Contract with Joseph A. Deluca Advisory & Consulting Services LLC for Program Management Services for the Office of Environmental Management Services ($4,290,000) Operations - Facilities - Amended Contracts 21. Amendment to Contract with Tetra Tech, Inc. for AHERA Management Program ($5,320,492.89) Operations - Facilities - Amended Contracts 22. Amendment of Contracts with M&M Lawn Care East, Inc. and Townscapes, Inc. - Landscaping Services ($800,000) Operations - Facilities - Amended Contracts 23. Amendment of Contract with Vital Records Holdings, LLC ($300,000) Student Support Services - Amended Contracts 24. Amendment of Contract with Multiple Vendors - Interpretation and Translation Services ($2,400,000) - WITHDRAWN BY STAFF 12.07.2023 Student Support Services - Amended Contracts 25. Contract with Bluum USA, Inc. for Purchase of Evolv Express Weapons Detection System for Minimally Invasive Weapons Detection Scan Pilot ($97,553)
Operations - School Safety - Contracts 26. Amendment of Contract with Institute for the Development of African American Youth, Inc. for Expansion of Safe Path School and Community Safety Corridor Program ($699,174) Operations - School Safety - Amended Contracts 27. Contracts with Various Vendors on the PEPPM Cooperative Agreement - Technology Equipment and Peripherals - $2,475,000 Information Technology - Contracts 28. Contract with Neubauer Family Foundation and Philadelphia Academies, Inc. for Support and Expansion the 9th Grade On-Track program ($2,604,064.65) (Added 11.22.2023/Updated 12.06.2023) Academic Support - Other Adjourn Action Items - Intermediate Unit 1. Contract with Curriculum Associates, LLC for Phonics for Reading Materials and Professional Development ($477,584) Academic Support - Other Email: schoolboard@philasd.org Twitter: @PHLschoolboard | Facebook: @PHLschoolboard
Registered Student Speakers - • Title: Student Speakers List Board of Education Meeting Date: 12/7/2023 Office Originating Request: Board of Education ATTACHMENTS: Description Type Student Speakers List Supporting Document
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF EDUCATION ACTION MEETING STUDENT SPEAKERS LIST DECEMBER 7, 2023 Registered Student Speakers 1. Zain Murtaz, Central High School Topic: Climate Education 2. Samuel Garcia, Franklin Towne Charter High School Topic: Keeping Our School’s Charter 3. Kiara Maldanado, Franklin Towne Charter High School Topic: School’s Charter Renewal 4. Gabrielle Torres, Franklin Towne Charter High School Topic: Franklin Towne Charter Revocation 5. Meiara Staton, Franklin Towne Charter High School Topic: School’s Charter Renewal Primary Waitlist Student Speakers NONE
Superintendent Remarks - Dr. Tony B. Watlington, Superintendent - • Title: Superintendent Remarks Presentation Board of Education Meeting Date: 12/7/2023 Office Originating Request: Board of Education ATTACHMENTS: Description Type Superintendent Remarks Presentation Supporting Document
Superintendent Opening Remarks December 7, 2023 Tony B. Watlington, Sr., Ed. D. Superintendent 1
Overview ● District Recognition ● Ongoing Priorities ● Swing Space Plan ● FY 2025 Budget Development Kickoff ● Q&A 2
District Recognition 3
Happy Holidays
District Leadership Update Kevin Bethel Chief of School Safety ● Mayor-elect Parker announced the appointment of Chief Bethel as the incoming Police Commissioner for the Philadelphia Police Department. ● Under Chief Bethel’s Leadership the District: ○ Became the only school district in the state accredited as a provider of PA Act 67 School Security Personnel training. ○ Expanded the Safe Paths program ○ Launched the replacement of 150 analog security cameras systems with modern systems. ● Craig Johnson, the Deputy Chief of School Safety will serve as the District’s Interim Chief Safety Officer, pending permanent search.
Office of Communication PRSA Award Public Service Award Winner for the District’s Back-to-School Campaign and Bus Tour The PRSA Pepperpot Awards recognize organizations for outstanding communications campaigns and tactics.
7 Ongoing Priorities ● Increase School Safety ● Increase Student Attendance ● Increase Teacher Attendance ● Decrease Dropouts
Student Attendance Within Month: 2021-22 through 2023-24District-Wide Source: Qlik Climate Matters, 12/6/2023. SDP Office of Evaluation, Research, and Accountability. 8
Teacher Attendance Within Month: 2021-22 through 2023-24District-Wide 9 Source: Qlik School Employee Attendance, 12/4/2023. SDP Office of Evaluation, Research, and Accountability.
Dropouts Cumulative: Grades 7-12, Three Year Trend DataDistrict-Wide Source: Qlik App - Dropouts Monitoring, refreshed 12/4/2023. SDP Office of Evaluation, Research, and Accountability. The cumulative by month dropout number includes students in grades 7-12, consistent with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) “event” dropout rates reported annually. Unlike the annual PDE rate, SDP uses actual enrollment within month, as opposed to the October 1 snapshot enrollment at the end of the year. Students are attributed to the last location they were enrolled. These calculations include students in District, alternative and non-public placements. Students counted as dropouts are tracked on a rolling bases, so monthly totals may change throughout the year.
Facility Update 11
Holme School Relocation Timeline Swing Space Interactive Map Swing Space Regional Map The process to identify swing space is driven by: ● Plan to address long term facility improvements (Strategic Actions 1.1 & 1.2) Currently, there are 24 prospective swing spaces within the District regions. We are currently evaluating swing space availability relative to enrollment in each region. Purple (5), Yellow (2), Orange (3), Green (5), Blue (3), Red (6) Region Prospective Swing Spaces Purple Ada Lewis, CCP NW Campus, Mifflin, MLK HS, Roosevelt Yellow Meehan Washington HS Orange Conwell Annex Feltonville Elementary Mastbaum HS Green Clemente, E.W. Rhodes Penn Treaty, Pratt, Strawberry Mansion Blue South Phila HS W. S. Pierce McDaniel Annex Red Bartram HS, Daroff, Lamberton, McMichael, Overbrook HS, Tilden MS Total 24 Swing Spaces
FY 2025 Budget Development Kickoff
1414 FY 2024 - FY 2028 Five-Year Plan Impacts Historical Budget Context FY 2022 Budget Development + Decades of Inadequate and Inequitable Funding + No State Appropriation Growth - FY 2021 or FY 2022 + Early Effects of the Pandemic on Tax Revenues + Emerging Student and Employee Needs ꞊ Projected FY 2022 Deficit > $300 Million Effective and Efficient Use of Pandemic Funding ● Lower Levels of Student Learning Loss than Other Large Urban Districts (Based on NAEP) ● Meaningful Recent Academic Advancement Towards Achieving the Board’s Goals & Guardrails ● Balanced Operating Budgets, Improved Financial Rating Outlooks Financial Reporting and Internal Control Excellence
15 Fiscal Year 2024 - 2028 Five-Year Plan Impacts December 2023 Considerations and Projection Updates 15 Adequate & Equitable Funding (Five-Year Plan Impact: TBD)05 ● Commonwealth Court declared current state school funding inadequate, inequitable and unconstitutional. ● SDP underfunded by $7,926 per student totaling $1.6 billion annually (Per Dr. Matthew Kelly, PSU Professor and School Funding Expert). ● Revised Projections include only 4.9% annual increase in state funding (same as current year) and Projections Based on City-Provided Data. Year 2-5 Implementation of Accelerate Philly (Five-Year Plan Impact: TBD) 04 ● Ongoing support of 37 year-one initiatives. ● Initial implementation of 25 other strategic actions. ● Continuance and maintenance of all 62. Continuation of Critical ARPA Initiatives (Five-Year Plan Impact: TBD) 03 ● 783 positions including school allocations. ● Learning recovery contracts and supports. ● School climate and safety programs.
● Environmental services contracts. ● Most summer and after-school programs. ● Maintenance, facilities and cleaning contracts. Future Labor Negotiations (Five-Year Plan Impact: TBD)02 ● PFT (CBA Expiration Date: 8/31/2024) ● CASA (CBA Expiration Date: 8/31/2025) ● Local 32BJ (CBA Expiration Date: 8/31/2026) ● SPAP (CBA Expiration Date: 8/31/2026) Local 634 Agreement (Five-Year Plan Impact: $45.4M)01 ● Tentative agreement reached 9/28/2023. ● Membership ratification 10/6-7/2023. ● Board of Education approval 10/12/23.
16 Fiscal Year 2024 - 2028 Five-Year Plan Impacts Projections with December 2023 Considerations and Updates 16Note: Includes Operating Funds and Federal Recovery Funds. Also includes 4.9% State revenue growth (aligned to FY 2024 percentage Growth) and projections from City-provided data. FY 2024: Balanced Budget FY 2025: Structural Deficit Begins FY 2026: Depleted Fund Balance FY 2027 and Beyond: Runaway Deficit
17 From Structural Deficit to Fiscal Sustainability Additional Revenue Requirements to Close Budget Deficit 17 ($ in Millions) FY 2025 FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 Annual Budget Deficit (Assuming no State or City Revenue Growth) -$581.2 -$917.8 -$1,128.0 -$1,294.8 State Revenue Growth Based on Same Percentage Increase as FY 2024 $101.2 $207.4 $318.8 $435.6 City Revenue Growth Based on City-Provided Assumptions $72.2 $109.2 $133.6 $157.0 Annual Budget Deficit (With Normal State/City Increases) -$407.8 -$601.1 -$675.6 -$702.2 Savings from Contingency Reduction and Strategic Fund Alignments $86.0 $51.0 $51.0 $51.0 Savings from Central Office Vacant Position Analysis, Non-Personnel Budget Reviews, Modified ZBB and Data-Driven Program Analysis $47.0 $56.0 $60.0 $60.0 Private/Foundation Funding Additional Expectations $12.0 $14.0 $16.0 $18.0 Annual Budget Deficit (Before Use of Fund Balance) -$262.8 -$480.1 -$548.6 -$573.2 Multi-Year Commitment to Draw Down Fund Balance $125.0 $175.0 $100.0 $25.0
Revenue Needed to Close Budget Deficit (Above Standard Increases) $137.8 $305.1 $448.6 $548.2 Annual Incremental Revenue Needed to Close Budget Deficit (Above Standard Increases) $137.8 $167.3 $143.5 $99.6
18 From Structural Deficit to Fiscal Sustainability Dynamic Uncertainty: Three Paths Forward 18 …Insufficient Continuity …Accelerated Prosperity Paths to… …Compounding Deficiency
19 From Structural Deficit to Fiscal Sustainability Responsible Funding Requests and Expected Outcomes 19 State/City Funding at Standard Annual Growth Level FY 2025 State/City Funding • State Standard Growth: $101M • City Standard Growth: $72M Compounding Deficiency • Increased Inadequacy of Funding. • Substantial Reductions in Educational and Other Services to Students. • Over-Commitment of Fund Balance. • Runaway Deficit. State/City Funding Increases to Address Deficit Only FY 2025 State/City Funding • State Growth to Balance: $209M • City Growth to Balance: $102M • Continued Insufficiency of Funding. • Current Inadequate Educational and Other Service Levels to Students. • Short-Term Fiscal Stability. State/City Funding Increases to Move Towards Adequacy FY 2025 State/City Funding • State Growth to Prosper: $357M • City Growth to Prosper: $144M • Statewide Funding Adequacy In 4 Years. • Vastly Improved Educational and Other Service Levels to Students.
• Perpetual Fiscal Sustainability. Insufficient Continuity Accelerated Prosperity A prioritized list of initiatives will be presented this winter.
20 FY 2025 Budget Development Process Changes Transformative Engagement Stakeholder Group November/ December January February March April/May Students Group-Specific Translated Survey (Budget Priorities) Discussions with Student Board Members And Student Advisory Group Group-Specific Translated Survey (Reactions to Lump Sum) BOE Budget Hearing City Budget Hearing Parents/Guardians (Families) Group-Specific Translated Survey (Budget Priorities) PCAC Focus Group Parent and Guardian Advisory Group Discussions Group-Specific Translated Survey (Reactions to Lump Sum) BOE Budget Hearing City Budget Hearing Teachers Group-Specific Survey (Budget Priorities) Teacher Advisory Group Discussions Teacher Advisory Group Discussions Group-Specific Survey (Reactions to Lump Sum) BOE Budget Hearing City Budget Hearing Principals Group-Specific Survey (Budget Priorities) Principal Advisory Group Discussions Principal Advisory Group Discussions Group-Specific Survey (Reactions to Lump Sum)
BOE Budget Hearing City Budget Hearing Support and Administrative Employees Group-Specific Survey (Budget Priorities) Support Employee and School Administrator Focus Groups Central Office Staff Focus Groups Group-Specific Survey (Reactions to Lump Sum) BOE Budget Hearing City Budget Hearing External, Community and Faith-Based Partners General Translated Survey (Budget Priorities) Discussions with Specific Partners/Advocates including Mayor’s Commissions Discussions with Specific Partners/Advocates including Mayor’s Commissions General Translated Survey (Reactions to Lump Sum) BOE Budget Hearing City Budget Hearing Labor Partners (Unions) Labor Partner Meetings Priority Discussions Labor Partner Meetings Priority Discussions Lump Sum Budget Preview BOE Budget Hearing City Budget Hearing City Government Partners/Funders Financial Discussions with City Finance, Finance/Priority Discussions with Ed.Committee, City Gov. Leadership and Transition Team Financial Discussions with
City Finance, Finance/Priority Discussions with City Government and Council Leaders Financial Discussions with City Finance, Finance/Priority Discussions with Education Committee Financial Discussions with City Finance, Lump Sum Budget Preview City Budget Hearing State Partners/Funders Delegation Meeting Governor’s Administration Discussions Legislative Leader Discussions Lump Sum Budget Preview Other Community Members General Survey (Budget Priorities) General Survey (Reactions to Lump Sum) BOE Budget Hearing City Budget Hearing
21 Thank you and Questions 21
Written Testimony - • Title: Written Testimony Board of Education Meeting Date: 12/7/2023 Office Originating Request: Board of Education ATTACHMENTS: Description Type Written Testimony Supporting Document
My name is Michael Piwonski and my son, Sebastian Piwonski, is a fifth-grade student at Hackett elementary school. I am writing about an incident that occurred on 11/22. Sebastian attends the Cione recreation center afterschool program and he was to attend on said date at 12:15, the dismissal time before Thanksgiving break. I too am a teacher in Trenton, NJ and was also dismissed at 12:15. On my ride home at 12:27 pm I received a call from the secretary at Hackett informing me he was not picked up from school. The Cione afterschool program had been cancelled and my wife and I were unaware. I informed the secretary that I was on my way and would be at Hackett in about 25 minutes. She informed me that Sebastian would be in the playground waiting for me, never did it cross my mind he would be left unsupervised. When I arrived at approximately 1:00 pm Sebastian was waiting alone on the corner outside an empty playground.
When Sebastian got in the car, I asked him what happened. He informed me Mr. Kimmel, the principal, told him to wait outside for me to arrive. This is not acceptable so on my arrival home I called the school but there was no answer. My wife informed me she also tried calling from work to no avail. I would like to note that the school tried to call my wife, but she did not have her phone on her and did not receive the message left by Hackett until I had already secured Sebastian. Since I couldn’t reach anyone at school, I decided to leave a comment on Class Dojo, the school's method of communicating with parents. This comment was deleted so I reposted, and it was deleted again. I also left a private message on the office, guidance, and principal pages, these were the adults in the office when Sebastian was dismissed to the playground unattended. On Monday 11/27 I received a call from Mr. Kimmel in response to the comments I made on Class
Dojo. He said he did not see the messages until Monday morning; however, if that was true my public comment would not have been deleted. During our conversation Mr. Kimmel accepted zero responsibility for leaving a child unattended. Here are some of the comments that were made to me by Mr. Kimmel during our conversation: “I feel your anger is misplaced and you feel guilty for not being there for Sebastian.” “Sebastian was having the time of his life on the playground.” “I told Sebastian to ring the bell if he did not feel safe.” “There were other people on the playground.” “You expect staff to stay and watch your child on the first half day before Thanksgiving break that was ever granted to Philadelphia teachers?” “It is not my responsibility to wait with students, we do more here for student safety than other schools.” “Should I have punished Sebastian by not letting him go outside.” “I have not heard you take responsibility for this occurring.”
“You mentioned me, the guidance counselor, and the secretary in your comments. This was not necessary.” I will summarize my responses to the comments that were made to me. My anger is not misplaced, the leader of the school chose to abandon my child. Sebastian was not having the time of his life; he said he was the only child on the playground for a half hour. This is contradictory to Mr. Kimmel’s claim the playground was crowded. Sebastian should not have had to worry about feeling safe because he should have been in the building with the principal. Also, I send my child to school to be in the care of a staff member, not random adults on a playground. It is the responsibility of school staff to ensure child safety. I do expect staff to stay and watch students after dismissal even if it was the last day before Thanksgiving break. I have never been late picking my child up in the six years he attended Hackett
and should not be made to feel inadequate because of this one incident. I realize it is inconvenient, but inconvenience is not a reason to leave a child unattended. I was not made aware that the after-school program was cancelled. Independent of this fact, I do take responsibility for being late. However, the school is responsible for student safety. Leaving a child alone on a playground does not ensure this. I have been a teacher for 24 years and never once left a student unattended. It is the responsibility of the school staff to ensure all students are handed over to a parent/guardian at the end of the day. Sadly, this was not the case for my son. He was pushed out of the building and left to wait on his own. Mr. Kimmel never checked on him during his time outside and did witness me pick Sebastian up. As far as he knew, anyone could have grabbed him. Student safety should be a priority, given the
climate of Philadelphia it was extremely unsafe leaving a child unattended. This is an unfortunate event that should never have happened; I am pursuing legal advice on this matter. Note: *I noticed an error in the last paragraph of my comments, I said The principal did see me pick my son up. I should read he did not see me pick him up. Michael Piwonski Sincerely, Michael Piwonski
Registered Speakers on General Topics - • Title: General Speakers List Board of Education Meeting Date: 12/7/2023 Office Originating Request: Board of Education ATTACHMENTS: Description Type Speakers List Supporting Document
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF EDUCATION ACTION MEETING SPEAKERS LIST DECEMBER 7, 2023 Registered Speakers 1. Yameen Whitaker, Parent/Guardian Topic: School Bus 2. Christina Richketts, Parent/Guardian Topic: School Choice 3. Monica McCleary-Echols, Parent/Guardian Topic: Southwest Leadership Academy Charter School 4. Dorothy Brittingham, Parent/Guardian Topic: School Choice 5. Lynda Rubin, APPS Topic: Action Item 28, Contract with Neubauer Family Foundation and TBD for Support and Expansion the 9th Grade On-Track program 6. Emithal Mahmoud, Parent/Guardian Topic: School Selection Support 7. Mama Gail Clouden, Community Member Topic: Parent Engagement 8. Leah Clouden, Community Member Topic: Parent Engagement 9. Kristin Luebert, District Staff Member Topic: Staff Retention 10. Lisa Monique Carter, Parent/Guardian Topic: Immediate Enrollment of Son 11. Badia Uqdah, Parent/Guardian Topic: Bullying Response 12. William Bazemore, Charter School Staff Member
Topic: Charter School 13. Anne Dorn, Parent/Guardian Topic: Magnet School Admissions System 14. May Freda Watson, Community Member Topic: Save the Children 15. Lisa Haver, APPS Topic: Action Item 26, Amendment of Contract with Institute for the Development of African American Youth, Inc. for Expansion of Safe Path School and Community Safety Corridor Program 16. Barbara Dowdall, APPS Topic: Action Item 4, Contract with The DT Firm for Government Relations Consulting
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA BOARD OF EDUCATION ACTION MEETING SPEAKERS LIST DECEMBER 7, 2023 Primary Waitlist Speakers NONE
Action Item Questions and Answers - • Title: Action Item Questions and Answers - Added 12.07.2023 Board of Education Meeting Date: 12/7/2023 Office Originating Request: Board of Education ATTACHMENTS: Description Type Action Item Questions and Answers Supporting Document
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 Table of Contents Page # Action Item Questions 1 General Questions 14 Action Item Questions Submitted by: Response 4). Contract with The DT Firm for Government Relations Consulting ($528,125) - Updated 11.30.2023 1. Request for additional information and clarification around the scope of work. 2. How was this contract determined so far in advance? 3. Would it be advantageous for us to reconsider the timeframe? Board Member Fix-Lopez Board Member Salley Board Member Thompson 1. The scope of the work from previous years has increased to include additional emphasis on local government relations given the forthcoming changes in the City’s leadership. 2. The 3.5 year contract is intended to provide stability within the government relations space and leverage established relationships at the state and local levels. 3. An annual re-bid could potentially be
disruptive to established relationships. 5). Contract with Scantron for Survey Printing, Mailing, and Processing ($90,000) Board Member Salley 1. This is a separate spend that is specific to the parent/guardian portion of the Philly School Experience Survey (PSES). 1
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 1. How does this map to previous action items related to marketing and communication? Is this an add on? Is this an additional spend? PSES questions are part of a validated set of questions that provide information about school experiences. The paper surveys are part of our larger parent engagement strategy for PSES. Feedback from principals along with our own data analysis suggests that mailing paper surveys helps to maximize parent/guardian participation and engagement. Results are shared with all program offices, including the communications team, who can use the results along with the results of the other communications surveys to inform future decisions/actions. 18). Amended Contract with Mobilease Modular Space, Inc. at Various Locations ($600,000) 1. What types of spaces are these? 2. Will these spaces include bathrooms? 3. Request for additional information to
better understand the methodology being used within our procurement process with hopes of better Board Member Danzy Board Member Salley 1. Six (6) modular units will be used for classrooms that can support up to 30 students per modular. An additional two (2) modular units will be used for restrooms. ● Comly School - Four (4) units will be utilized at Comly to address over-enrollment. 2
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 understand how the District is leveraging it’s purchasing power. ● Olney High School - One (1) modular unit will be utilized to address over-enrollment. ● C.W. Henry - One (1) unit will be used for Music and Art classes due to ongoing environmental work in those classrooms, and one (1) modular unit will provide additional restroom support. ● Fox Chase Farm - One (1) modular unit to provide additional restroom support. 2. Yes, C.W. Henry and Fox Chase Farm will have modular bathroom/restroom units adjacent to the modular classrooms. This is due to the distance between the modular classroom and the main building. However, the classroom modular units at Comly and Olney are located adjacent to the exterior doors of the schools and close to bathrooms/restrooms inside the building. 3. Mobilease was selected through the cooperative contracting process through
the Keystone Purchasing Network. 3
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 Board policy 613 allows the District to utilize cooperative contracting where a bid process comparable to the Office of Procurement Services was conducted to obtain qualified vendors at competitive rates. The office of Capital Programs has had a long-standing relationship with Mobilease that has resulted in discounted pricing when acquiring modular units for multiple sites. The modular units were reallocated from sites that no longer required them. By doing this, the District saved on transportation fees normally associated with return at the end of the lease agreement. 22) Amendment of Contracts with M&M Lawn Care East, Inc. and Townscapes, Inc. - Landscaping Services ($800,000) 1. Is this for active schools only or all real estate of the district? 2. Is this seasonal work? Board Member Egea-Hinton Board Member Salley 1. This contract is utilized to cover
landscaping services for all District active and vacant properties. 2. No, this is not seasonal work. Landscaping services/maintenance are performed throughout the year. 4
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 24). Amendment of Contract with Multiple Vendors - Interpretation and Translation Services ($2,400,000) 1. Request for additional quantitative information on the effectiveness of the vendors? 2. How are schools able to access these resources? 3. Can some of this work be supplemented or replaced by Artificial Intelligence technology? Board Member Lam Vice President Fix-Lopez Board Member Wilkerson 1. The Office of Family and Community Engagement contracts with translation and interpretation vendors to fulfill requests that exceed the capacity of our full-time language access coordinators. These contractual agreements not only accommodate the heightened demand for services, but also expands our access, allowing us to support requests from hundreds of different languages. From July 2023 to November 2023, a total of 1,821 translations have been delivered, with 622 completed by our
vendors. Currently, vendor utilization for translation services accounts for 34.16% of total jobs. Additionally, 398 interpretation requests have been fulfilled, with vendors completing 360 of them, resulting in a vendor utilization rate of 90.45% for interpretation services. 5
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 2. School-based staff and central office staff who need written documents translated from English into another language, complete the Translation Request Form. If a scheduled meeting, conference, or event requires interpretation, school and central office staff complete the Interpretation Request Form. A message is sent annually, to all District and central office staff, about the process for requesting interpretation services and resources are promoted on the Family & Community Engagement website. The annual message to all District staff also includes the codes to access three-way telephonic interpretation services that the Board has authorized in addition to the services in Action Item 24. 6
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 3. The Translation and Interpretation unit staff are constantly researching ways to provide quality service while reducing the cost and time to translate documents and interpret spoken words. Artificial Intelligence (AI) for translation and interpretation continues to improve, we are encouraged that it will replace certain aspects of translation and interpretation work. We are piloting with 12 schools the use of AI with Ipads using an interactive application to interpret for users. We think this technology can assist with school-based meetings, the enrollment process, and so much more. If the quality of translations and interpretations is what we anticipate and the context, cultural nuances are not compromised, AI potentially could replace human translators and interpreters. 26) Amendment of Contract with Institute for the Development of African American
Youth, Inc. for Expansion of Safe Path Board Member Thompson Board Member Salley 1. A study by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention demonstrated that 63% of violent crimes committed by 7
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 School and Community Safety Corridor Program ($699,174) 1. Is there data on the effectiveness of the Safe Path program? 2. Is there a correlation between truancy and the Safe Path Programs? juveniles nationwide occur on school days, and nearly one-fifth (19%) of these crimes occur in a 4-hour span from 3pm – 7pm [1]. While the Office of School Safety's Safe Path Program is relatively new, launching in support of schools during the 2022-23 school year, it is modeled on the Chicago Public Schools Safe Passage program, which has been in existence since the 2009-2010 school year. The OSS Safe Path program shares the Chicago Safe Passage program's primary goal– to ensure the safety of students traveling from schools by placing civilian personnel from the community along specified routes. Results of an Independent study and recent analysis of more than ten years of
geo-coded Chicago police reports and school-level data suggest that the program is an efficient and cost-effective alternative way of monitoring corridors with direct effects on crime and student outcomes. The same analysis also showed that the presence of monitors resulted in lower crime levels, with violent crime declining by 14% on average and a 3% decline in property crime along corridors that are covered by 8
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 the program. Additionally, an estimated decline in absenteeism by 2.5 percentage points was reported with no evidence of spillover effects [2]. The Journal of Urban Economics finds that Chicago’s program is an efficient and cost-effective solution with direct effects on crime and student outcomes, and other large urban school districts could benefit from a similar program. A separate study finds that the Safe Passage program in Chicago appears to reduce total crimes within a quarter mile of an elementary school by approximately 19 incidents per day across the city. [3] We are currently working on developing evaluation and data collection methods for the District's Safe Path program. The Office of School Safety, with other District and external partners as needed, will use multiple data sources to track progress and outcomes, including program data, School District of
Philadelphia District-wide Survey data, Office of School Safety Serious Incident data, and Philadelphia Police 9
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 Department arrest and shooting incident data. 2. An independent study of a program implemented by the Chicago Public Schools aimed towards providing an adult presence on corridors for students as they travel to and from school (Safe Passage Program) shows a decrease in absenteeism by 2.5 percentage points since the inception of their program. [4]There is no research or evidence, however, that indicates the Safe Path program has an impact on truancy. Additionally, the Office of School Safety's Safe Path Program is only implemented during dismissal hours at this time, so there is no way to measure the overall impact of the program on truancy. Research & Data Sources: 1. Statistical Briefing Book, Offending by Juveniles, Violent crime by youth time of day (per 1,000 youth who committed a violent crime) Web site. Available at: https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/offenders/ 10
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 qa03301.asp. Published April 18, 2022. Accessed August 16th, 2022. 2. McMillen, D., Sarmiento-Barbieri, I., & Singh, R. (2019). Do more eyes on the street reduce Crime? Evidence from Chicago's safe passage program. Journal of Urban Economics, 110, 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jue.2019.01.001 3. Curran, F. Chris (2014). The Impacts of the Chicago Welcoming Schools’ Safe Passage Program on Student Safety and Crime. Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED562847 4. Sarah Komisarow, Robert Gonzalez; Can Community Crime Monitoring Reduce Student Absenteeism?. Education Finance and Policy 2023; 18 (2): 319–350. https://doi.org/10.1162/edfp_a_0036 28). Contract with Neubauer Family Foundation and TBD for Support and Expansion the 9th Grade On-Track program ($TBD) (Added 11.22.2023) Board Member Lam Board Member Thompson Board Member Wilkerson
1. The District has allocated funding for a full-time Director of 9th Grade On-Track (9GOT) who will work in collaboration and oversight of the implementation of this programming. Additionally, other 11
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 1. How will the district ensure that this item will be carried out with fidelity? 2. How has the study in Chicago impacted the work that we are doing to sustain and expand these efforts? 3. Request for a long-term plan on how the District will sustain this work? 4. Request for additional information and data to share the past performance of this specific program SDP executive leaders will focus a percentage of their work on 9GOT including coordinating partnerships, communicating with internal stakeholders that support schools and their leaders directly, as well as convening groups of school personnel who will be implementing this work with students who will provide feedback to SDP leaders. This will allow SDP to direct the collaboration in best service of the students and outcomes of this programming. 2. As a result of the study and implementation of 9GOT research and
strategies, SDP has been able to develop systems, build data tools, and expand professional learning that engage school leaders, and subsequently their teams to leverage these systems to identify and support students as related to on-track for four-year graduation. This has caused a closer look at attendance, behavior, and grades that lead to credit attainment. 12
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 3. Long term, the District will consider the comparative costs in staff capacity building versus contracted vendors to ensure that all schools who are receiving this support continue and that we are positioned to add all high schools to engage and use data at this level. This could mean that SDP staff are expanded to serve in this specific capacity. Additionally, the District will build on the professional learning structure that encompasses this work so that it is owned and sustained by the school leader community in collaboration with other SDP leads, offices, and departments. 4. Recent data from the District Performance Office (DPO) showed that SDP students who were on track in 9th Grade were twice as likely to graduate on time (i.e., in 4-years). The data showed cohorts of students who participated during the time the District placed concerted effort and focus to 9th
Grade On-Track versus prior years. The 13
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 data was elevated in the percentage rates that students graduated on time since this effort. General Questions Submitted by: Response How does Action Item 20 differ from Action Item 21 Can we expect to see additional audits as a result of this item or is this a one time investment? Board Member Lam Board Member Salley Neither of these contractors are performing “audits” for the District. Rather, they provide essential operational support to the District in managing its regulatory based processes, including augmenting quality control around these processes. DeLuca has been retained by the District to support the District’s compliance efforts for over a year. They bring project management and regulatory expertise to oversight and execution of environmental processes, including the management of the Tetra Tech contract, as well as providing essential staff augmentation, such
as the Interim Executive Director of OEMS, Data Managers, and support in securing additional outside funding. DeLuca’s contract is designed 14
The School District of Philadelphia Board of Education Action Item Questions and Responses December 7, 2023 to build District capacity over time related to environmental compliance and management. Tetra Tech is a third party performing AHERA inspections, by licensed inspectors, to identify and monitor the condition of asbestos-containing materials. Additional planning and inspections are being requested of Tetra Tech to accelerate a sustainable schedule for the AHERA program that is geared toward regulatory compliance, hence the additional funding requested in this action item. This is likely a continuing investment because an AHERA management program is, by its very nature, intended to be cyclical and continuous. The services provided by TetraTech and DeLuca have facilitated and accelerated the District’s ability to complete 3-year inspections of District buildings and to post inspection reports. 15
Action Item - 1. Title: Review of Board Policies (REVIEW - NO ACTION) Board of Education Meeting Date: 12/7/2023 The Board of Education will consider the amendment, addition, and elimination of the following policies, in the form to-be-attached, at the December Action Meeting: Policy 210 - Use of Medication/Medical Technology Policy 210.1 - Possession/Use of Emergency Medications Policy 217 - High School Graduation Requirements The proposed elimination of Policy 314.1 - HIV Infection in Employees Policy 324 - Personnel Files Policy 804 - Mandatory Instructional Time Policy 815 - Acceptable Use of Internet, Technology, and Network Resources A new proposed Policy 829 - Information Security A new proposed Policy 314 - Employee Evaluations Office Originating Request: Board of Education ATTACHMENTS: Description Type Policy 210 - Use of Medication/Medical Technology Supporting Document Administrative Procedures - Use of Medication/Medical Technology Supporting Document
Policy 210.1 - Possession/Use of Emergency Medications Supporting Document Administrative Procedures - Possession/Use of Emergency Medications Supporting Document Policy 217 - High School Graduation Requirements Supporting Document Administrative Procedures - High School Graduation Requirements Supporting Document Policy 314.1 HIV Infection in Employees [PROPOSED FOR ELIMINATION] Supporting Document Policy 324 - Personnel Files Supporting Document Administrative Procedures - Personnel Files Supporting Document Policy 804 - Mandatory Instructional Time Supporting Document Administrative Procedures - Mandatory Instructional Time Supporting Document Policy 815 - Acceptable Use of Internet, Technology, and Network Resources Supporting Document Administrative Procedures - Acceptable Use of Internet, Technology, and Network Resources Supporting Document Policy 829 - Information Security [NEW POLICY] Supporting Document
Administrative Procedures - Information Security [NEW POLICY] Supporting Document Policy 314 - Employee Evaluations [NEW POLICY] Supporting Document
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA No. 210 SECTION: 200 Pupils TITLE: Use of Medication/ Medical Technology ADOPTED: August 24, 2011 REVISED: October 13, 2016 210 USE OF MEDICATION/MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY Purpose The Board of Education (“Board”)School Reform Commission is committed to providing safe, welcoming, and healthy learning environments in all School District of Philadelphia (“District”) schools. The purpose of this Policy is to guide District staff, parents/guardians, and students about the administration of medication or medical technology to students during school time. The School Reform Commission shall not be responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of student illness. The administration of medication or utilization of medical technology should take place at home; however, students with health problems may require medication or medical technology as defined in this policy in order to permit them to function at as close to a normal level as possible in the classroom.
Definitions Medication - all medicines, including over-the-counter medicines prescribed by a licensed prescriber and executed on a medical consent form by the parent and licensed prescriber. Medical technology - suction, oxygen, or other types of equipment used to treat or respond to a student's medical condition. Licensed prescribers - licensed physicians (M.D. and D.O.), podiatrists, dentists, optometrists, certified registered nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Authority The SRC directs all district employees to comply with the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Guidelines for Pennsylvania Schools for the Administration of Medications and Emergency Health Care. Before any medical technology may be utilized and before any medication may be administered to or by any student Pursuant to Pennsylvania law, the Board shall enact policy and procedures regarding the administration of medication, medical technology,
and treatment of students during school hours or during school related activities., the BoardSRC shall require the written request of the parent/guardian, giving permission for such administration, and the written order of the licensed prescriber.[1] Page 1 of 4
Delegation of Responsibility The Board directs the Superintendent or their designee, in conjunction with the Office of StudentSchool Health Services, shallto develop aAdministrative pProcedures for the administration and self-administration of students’ medications and use of medical technology, including the delivery, storage, and disposal of medications and medical technology. The District shall inform all parents/guardians, students, and staff about the Policy and Administrative Procedures governing the administration of medications and use of medical technology. All medications and/or use of medical technology shall be administered by the Certified School Nurse, or in the absence of the Certified School Nurse by other licensed school health staff (RN, LPN), except as otherwise noted in this policy or the Administrative Procedure. In the event of an emergency, any dDistrict employee may administer emergency care, first aid,
or rescue when theys/he believes, in good faith, that a student needs emergency care, first aid, or rescue.[2] Pursuant to Pennsylvania law, school officers or employees, physicians or other practitioners, and any person who acts in good faith are not liable for civil damages as a result of any acts or omissions during emergency care, first aid, or rescue. [2][3][4] The policy and administrative procedures for administration of medications and use of medical technology shall be reviewed, at least every two (2) years, by a committee consisting of the School Health Coordinator, Certified School Nurse, school physician, and designated administrators, and revised as necessary. The Office of Student Health Services shall reference the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Guidelines for Pennsylvania Schools for the Administration of Medications and Emergency Health Care in developing Administrative Procedures.
The Office of Student Health Services, or its designees, must receive a parent/guardian consent and a valid prescription annually at the start of the school year in order to be able to administer medication or medical technology. Mandatory Regulatory Procedures The district shall inform all parents/guardians, students, and staff about the policy and administrative procedures governing the administration of medications and use of medical technology. All standing medication orders and parental consents shall be renewed at the beginning of each school year. The policy shall be distributed with the Student Code of Conduct as required under 22 Pa. Code § 12.3(c)(relating to school rules) and made available on the District’s publicly accessible Internet website. Page 2 of 4
Student health records shall be confidential and maintained in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations, the Department of Health Guidelines, and BoardSRC policies and aAdministrative pProcedures.[35][46] Students may possess and use asthma inhalers, epinephrine auto-injectors and other emergency medications in accordance BoardSRC policy.[5] The administration of medication or utilization of medical technology shall be consistent with the school health program established by the BoardSRC and, where applicable, any accommodations outlined in a student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Section 504 Service Agreement.[7][8] Delivery and Storage of Medications and Medical Technology Procedures shall be developed for the delivery and storage of Medication and Medical Technology specifying: 1. Procedures for delivering to District facilities for storage. 2. The appropriate manner of storage and the supply on hand. 3. District approved forms for delivery and storage.
4. Procedures for proper record keeping. Disposal of Medications Procedures shall be developed for the disposal of medications consistent with the Department of Health Guidelines, which shall include: 1. Guidelines for disposal of contaminated needles or other contaminated sharp materials immediately in an appropriately labeled, puncture resistant container. 2. Processes for immediately returning to parents/guardians all discontinued and outdated medications, as well as all unused medications at the end of the school year. 3. Methods for safe and environmentally friendly disposal of medications. 4. Proper documentation of all medications returned to parents/guardians and for all medications disposed of by the Certified School Nurse or other licensed school health staff. Documentation shall include, but not be limited to, date, time, amount of medication and appropriate signatures. Administration of Medication/Medical Technology During Field Trips and Other School-Sponsored Activities
Page 3 of 4
The district directs planning for field trips and other school-sponsored activities to start early in the school year and to include collaboration between administrators, teachers, nurses, appropriate parents/guardians and other designated health officials.[6] Decisions regarding administration of medication/medical technology during field trips and other school-sponsored programs and activities shall be based on the student’s individual needs. Legal References: 1. 22 Pa. Code §12.41 2. 42 Pa. C.S. §8337.1 3. 42 Pa. C.S. §8332 4. 42 Pa. C.S. §8331 5. 24 P.S. §1409 6. Pol.icy 216 - Student Records 5. Pol. 210.1 6. Pol. 121 7. Pol.icy 103.1 - Nondiscrimination - Qualified Students with Disabilities/Protected Handicapped Students 8. Pol.icy 113 - Special Education Related Information: 24 P.S. 510 24 P.S. 1401 24 P.S. 1402 24 P.S. 1414.1 Philadelphia Home Rule Charter - 12-300 55 PA Code 3270.133 Pennsylvania Department of Health Guidelines for Pennsylvania Schools for the Administration
of Medications and Emergency Care, March 2010 Page 4 of 4
Effective: November 2017 Revised: Administrative Procedures for Use of Medication/Medical Technology (Attachment for Policy No. 210) Purpose The Board of Education (“Board”) is committed to providing safe, welcoming, and healthy learning environments in all School District of Philadelphia (“District”) schools. The purpose of these Administrative Procedures is to provide guidance to District staff, parents/guardians, and students about the administration of medication or medical technology to students during school time. Definitions Medication: A substance used to treat a medical condition that is either prescribed by a licensed provider, or is sold over-the-counter. Medical technology: Medical equipment or devices used to treat a medical condition. Licensed prescribers: A person who is licensed, registered or otherwise lawfully authorized to distribute, dispense or administer a controlled substance, other drug or
device in the course of professional practice or research in this Commonwealth. Procedures Delivery and Storage of Medications and Medical Technology All medication and medical technology shall be brought to the nurse’s office, or the main office if the nurse is in another building, by the parent/guardian or by another adult designated by the parent/guardian. All medication shall be stored in the original pharmacy-labeled container and kept in a locked cabinet designated for storage of medication. If a student has obtained necessary approvals for self-administration, then the medication or medical technology may be kept on their person. The pharmacy label must contain the following information: ● Name, address and telephone and federal DEA number of the pharmacy ● Patient’s name ● Name of medication and amount dispensed ● Directions for use of the medication ● Name and registration number of the licensed prescriber ● Prescription serial number ● Date originally filled
● Controlled substance statement, if applicable Page 1 of 6
Effective: November 2017 Revised: Medications that require refrigeration shall be stored and locked in a refrigerator designated only for medications. The dDistrict shall not store more than a thirty-day supply of an individual student’s medication. Medication and medical technology should be recorded and logged in to SIS by the school nurse with the date, name of student, name of medication, amount of medication, and signatures of the parent/guardian or designated adult delivering the medication and/or medical technology and the school health personnel receiving the medication and/or medical technology. All medication and medical technology shall be accompanied by the appropriate district-approved form, or other written communication from the licensed prescriber. Parents/guardians must take the following steps in order to have medications/medical technology available to students in school: 1.) Complete and submit Request for Administration of Medicine form to the school nurse
2.) Bring the medication to school properly labeled and packaged by a Registered Pharmacist. The medication bottle must have a Saf-T Closure Cap and labeled with information provided above Nonprescription medication must be delivered to the nurse or main office in its original packaging and labeled with the student’s name. An inventory of the medication, dosage used, and supply remaining shall be properly recorded in the dDistrict's student information system. Student health records shall be confidential and maintained in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations. Student Self-Administration In specific cases, individual students shall be allowed to be directly responsible for the maintenance and administration of their medication with minimal supervision. Prior to allowing a student to self-administer medication, the dDistrict shall require the following: 1. An order from the licensed prescriber for the medication, including a statement that it is
necessary for the student to carry the medication and that the student is capable of self-administration. The following completed form with signatures of the parent/guardian and licensed prescriber: MED-1 Form (Request for Administration of Medicine). 2. Written parent/guardian consent. 3. An Individual Health Plan including an Emergency Care Plan. Page 2 of 6
Effective: November 2017 Revised: 4. A baseline assessment of the student's health status, conducted by the nurse. That will focus on the student’s ability to: In order to self-administer medication, the student must demonstrate the ability to: a. Respond to and visually recognize his/hertheir name. b. Identify his/hertheir medication. c. Wash hands properly. d. Measure, pour and administer the prescribed dosage of the medication. e. Sign the medication sheet as acknowledgment of having taken the medication/treatment. f. Demonstrate a cooperative attitude in all aspects of self-administration of medication/treatment. g. Notify the school nurse and parent/guardian when medication is gone. The nurse shall provide periodic and ongoing assessments of the student's self-management skills using the Self Medication Assessment tool The student shall notify the school nurse immediately following each occurrence of self-administration of medication.
Privileges for self-administration of medication will be revoked if school or Board policies are abused, ignored, or the student is otherwise not willing or able to follow the established requirements. and procedures. Disposal of Medications 1. Contaminated needles or other contaminated sharp materials should not be bent, recapped or removed. Contaminated needles should be placed immediately in a puncture resistant container that is labeled with a fluorescent or orange-red biohazard symbol or in a red container that is closable, that will be located in the nurse’s office or main office. 2. All discontinued or outdated medications should be returned to the parent/guardian immediately. a. The nurse, or other responsible individual, shall document disposed or returned medication that Document of disposition should include the date, time, amount of medication, and signatures of the parent/guardian and school personnel. This should be recorded in the Student Information System (SIS).
Page 3 of 6
Effective: November 2017 Revised: b. If the parent/guardian does not retrieve the medication at the end of the school year, the licensed personnel (CSN, RN, LPN) should drop off the medication at a pharmacy for disposal and update the Student Information System. 3. Medications should not be disposed of down the drain, they should be returned to the parent/guardian or pharmacy for disposal. Administration of Medication/Medical Technology During Field Trips and Other School-Sponsored Activities Students on field trips are entitled to the same health services, including medication administration, to which they are entitled while attending school. Prior to allowing a student to attend a field trip, the dDistrict will require the following documentation: 1. Notification of school trips should occur at least 2 weeks, but no later than one week prior to the planned trip. a. Whenever it is possible the nurse should receive from the school administration
a list of all planned school trips at the beginning of the school year or at regular agreed upon intervals. This will allow for proactive planning of student needs as early as possible before the trip. b. The prescribed medications should be clearly described and outlined in a plan of care form for the entirety of the field trip by the nurse for the trip. The medications should be labeled by the school nurse with the following information: i. Formulation ii. Dosage iii. Route of administration iv. Frequency or time for taking the medication (i.e., “every 12 hours”; “take at 1 pm”) v. Medications should be provided to the district in an original container with the student’s name clearly labeled. 2. The plan of care form should clearly state who will be responsible for the administration of the student’s medication while on the field trip. The possibilities for medication administration on a field trip, are as follows:.
a. Agency nurse: --iIf notified with an appropriate amount of time and depending upon available staffing of those agencies and District resources, the dDistrict can oftenmay be able to provide an agency nurse to accompany the student on the trip and to administer the medication. b. Parent/Guardian: --tThe school may ask a parent/guardian to accompany their student on a field trip to provide the necessary care, but it cannot require the parent/guardian to do so. When a parent/guardian is unable to accompany his or hertheir child, the parent/guardian may designate, in writing, a responsible adult to accompany the child with the following restrictions. i. The parent/guardian must provide the supplies and training if the parent/guardian delegates treatments or medication administration to a Page 4 of 6
Effective: November 2017 Revised: responsible adult. The school nurse may not participate in any way in the selection of a parent/guardian designee for the trip, nor in the training of the designee or in the provision of the supplies and medications. ii. The parent/guardian may not choose a school staff member, school-designated trip chaperone or secondary student as a designee. iii. The parent/guardian may not prescribe or alter treatments or medication administration orders for the school nurse or other licensed professional unless the parent/guardian is a Pennsylvania licensed provider. c. Licensed volunteer: --tThe dDistrict may choose a licensed volunteer to administer the student’s medication. The licensed volunteer’s assigned duties must be within their professional scope of practice. The volunteer’s license must be active and in good standing. The licensed volunteer should be provided with the student’s plan of care and order for the medication. Additionally, the
licensed volunteer should have the necessary training to perform the treatment the student requires, utilizing the equipment/medication that the student routinely uses to receive the treatment. See Policy 121 - Field Trips, Social Events, and Class Trips for more information about volunteers. d. Student: --tThe only medications a student may self-carry and self-administer are an asthma rescue inhaler, insulin, glucagon and an epinephrine auto-injector. Students that are allowed to self-carry should already have a self care plan on file with signed statements by parent/guardian and health care provider, allowing for the self-carry/self administration. Prior to the trip the school nurse should perform an assessment of the student’s ability to self-administer the medication. 3. Out-of-state field trips: --tThe school must ensure that the nurse and/or licensed volunteer is permitted to practice in the state under their Pennsylvania license.
4. Out-of-country field trips: --tThe school must contact that country’s consulate to ensure the nurse and/or licensed volunteer is permitted to practice in the country under their Pennsylvania license. 5. Other considerations: a. The school should verify that each volunteer has had child abuse clearance b. Volunteers expected to have more than 10 hours a week in direct contact with students will require a TB test. Communication The District shall inform all parents/guardians, students, and staff about this Policy and Administrative Procedures governing the administration of medications and use of medical technology. Related information should be translated into student and parent/guardian preferred language in conformity with Policy 139 - Supporting Language Accessibility for Parents and Guardians Whose Primary Language is Not English. Maintenance Schedule Page 5 of 6
Effective: November 2017 Revised: These Administrative Procedures will be reviewed upon review of the Policy, or upon the occurrence of a triggering event. Page 6 of 6
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA No. 210.1 SECTION: 200 Pupils TITLE: Policy 210.1 - Possession/Use of Emergency Medications ADOPTED:August 24, 2011 REVISED: October 13, 2016 POLICY 210.1 - POSSESSION/USE OF EMERGENCY MEDICATIONS Purpose The Board of Education (“Board”) is committed to providing safe, welcoming, and healthy learning environments in all School District of Philadelphia (“District”) schools. The purpose of this Policy is to guide District staff, parents/guardians, and students about the administration of emergency medications (including, but not be limited to asthma inhalers, epinephrine auto-injectors, prolonged seizure nasal spray and other medication prescribed to immediately treat or respond to a student’s acute medical condition in an emergency) during school time. Definitions Asthma inhaler: - aA prescribed device used for self-administration of short-acting, metered doses of prescribed medication to treat an acute asthma attack.[3]
Emergency medications: - iIncludes, but not be limited to asthma inhalers, epinephrine auto-injectors, and other medication prescribed to treat or respond to a student’s medicalcondition in an emergency. Self-administration: A student’s use of medication in accordance with a prescription or written instructions from a physician, certified registered nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. Licensed prescribers: - lLicensed physicians (M.D. and D.O.), podiatrists, dentists, optometrists, certified registered nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Authority Pursuant to Pennsylvania law, the Board may enact policy and procedures regarding the emergency administration of medication, medical technology, and treatment of students during school hours or during school related activities. Furthermore, the BoardThe School Reform Commission shall permit students to possess asthma inhalers, epinephrine
auto-injectors, and other emergency medications and to self-administer the prescribed medication in accordance with state law, SRC policy, and administrative procedures.[1][2] In the event of an emergency, any District employee may administer emergency care, first aid, or rescue when they believe, in good faith, that a student needs emergency care, first aid, orrescue.[3] Delegation of Responsibility The Board directs the Superintendent or their designee, in conjunction withthrough the Office of SchoolStudent Health Services, shallto develop aAdministrative pProcedures for student possession and self-administration of emergency medication, including, but not limited to, asthma inhalers, and epinephrine auto-injectors and other emergency medications. The dDistrict shallannually inform staff, students, and parents/guardians of this Policy and its Administrative Proceduresabout the policy and procedures governing student possession and use of asthma inhalers, epinephrine auto-injectors,
and/or other emergency medication. The certified school nurse shall develop an individualized healthcare plan for each student prescribed emergency medication from a licensed prescriber, which shall include an emergency care plan component. A student’s individualized healthcare plan neither replaces nor necessarily requires other individualized plans for accessing the education program, including an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan. [2] Legal References: 1. 24 P.S. §1414.1 2. Pol.icy 103.1 - Nondiscrimination - Qualified Students with Disabilities/Protected Handicapped Students 3. 42 Pa. C.S. §8337.1 4. 22 PA Code 12.41 5. Pol. 113 6. 24 P.S. 1409
7. Pol. 216 8. Pol. 218 Related Information: 22 PA Code 12.3 Pol. 113.1 Pol. 227 Administrative Procedures: Policy 210.1 Administrative Procedures
Revised: November 16, 2023 Administrative Procedures for Possession/Use of Emergency Medications (Attachment for Policy No. 210.1) Purpose The Board of Education (“Board”) is committed to providing safe, welcoming, and healthy learning environments in all School District of Philadelphia (“District”) schools. The purpose of these Administrative Procedures is to provide guidance to District staff, parents/guardians, and students about the administration of emergency medications during school time. Definitions Asthma inhaler: A prescribed device used for self-administration of short-acting, metered doses of prescribed medication to treat an acute asthma attack.[1] Emergency medications: Includes, but not be limited to asthma inhalers, epinephrine auto-injectors, prolonged seizure nasal spray and other medication prescribed to immediately treat or respond to a student’s acute medical condition in an emergency.
Epinephrine auto-injector: A single-use device used for the automatic injection of a premeasured dose of epinephrine into the human body (the thigh), used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions. Whenever epinephrine is given, 911 must be called. [2] Self-administration: A student’s use of medication in accordance with a prescription or written instructions from a physician, certified registered nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. Licensed prescribers: Licensed physicians (M.D. and D.O.), podiatrists, dentists, optometrists, certified registered nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Procedures The possession/use of emergency medications shall be consistent with the school health program established by the Board of Education (“Board”) and, where applicable, any accommodations outlined in a student’s Section 504 Service Agreement or Individualized Education Plan (IEP), in accordance with Board policy. [1][2][3][4]
Before a student may possess or use emergency medications in the school setting, they must provide Board shall require the following: [2][3][5][6] Page 1 of 6
Revised: November 16, 2023 1. A written request from the parent/guardian that the school complies with the order of the physician, certified registered nurse practitioner or physician assistantlicensed prescriber by completing the following form: Request for Administration of Medicine (also known as the Med-1form).[4][6] 2. A statement from the parent/guardian acknowledging that the school is not responsible for ensuring the medication is taken and relieving the district and its employees of responsibility for the benefits or consequences of the prescribed medication.[4] 3. An order from the licensed prescriber on the form linked in number 1, above. Please be sure to note the following: physician, certified registered nurse practitioner or physician assistant that states:[4][6] a. Name of the drug. b. Prescribed dosage. c. Times medication is to be taken. d. Length of time medication is prescribed. e. Diagnosis or reason medication is needed, unless confidential.
f. Potential serious reaction or side effects of medication. g. Emergency response. h. If the child is qualified and able to self-administer the medication. The certified school nurse shall conduct a baseline assessment of the student’s health status before creating a plan for self- administering prescribed emergency medication. The student shall notify the school nurse immediately following each use of an asthma inhaler, epinephrine auto-injector, prolonged seizure nasal spray or other emergency medication.[4] If the student is physically incapacitated and unable to notify the school nurse, a witnessing adult staff member should notify the nurse immediately about the use of the asthma inhaler, epinephrine auto-injector, or other emergency medication. If a school nurse is not available to respond to a medical emergency then the witnessing adult staff member should immediately call 911 and an adult staff member should remain with the student until 911 arrives.[6] The student’s
parent/guardian should also be contacted. The certified school nurse shall provide periodic (at least 1-2 times a year) and ongoing assessments of the student’s self-management skills during the time in which a plan for administering prescribed emergency medication exists. Students shall be prohibited from sharing, giving, selling, and using an emergency medication in any manner other than which it is prescribed during school hours, at any time while on school Page 2 of 6
Revised: November 16, 2023 property, at any school-sponsored activity, and during the time spent traveling to and from school or school-sponsored activities. Violations of self administration requirements and guidelines by a student shall result in immediate confiscation of the asthma inhaler, epinephrine auto-injector, or other emergency medication and loss of privileges.[4] The District reserves the right to withdraw a student’s authorization to self-administer and to make that decision in conformity the Student Code of Conduct and other Board policies.[6] For students who are not able and students who lose the privilege to carry and self-administer emergency medications, the District shall provide a safe, accessible storage location in the school buildingclose proximity to the student, so that the prescribed medication is appropriately stored and inform the student’s teacher(s)appropriate staff, including
classroom teachers, of where the medication is located and the means to access the medication.[4][6] An inventory of the medication, dosage used, and supply remaining shall be properly noted in the dDistrict's sStudent iInformation sSystem (SIS) by the school nurse. The District reserves the right to require a statement from the physician, certified registered nurse practitioner, or physician assistant for the continued use of a medication beyond the specified time period. Permission for possession and use of emergency medication by a student shall be effective for the school year for which it is granted and shall not be automatically renewed each subsequent school year, unless the District is provided a new written request revoked by parent or guardian in the form of a written request signed by a parent or guardian.[4][6] Student health records shall be confidential and maintained in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations.[5][6][7][8]
A student whose parent/guardian completes the written requirements for the student to possess emergency medication and self-administer the prescribed medication in the school setting shall demonstrate to the certified school nurse the competency for self-administration and responsible behavior in use of the medication.[4][6] The District shall develop criteria to determine a student’s competency to carry and self-administer emergency medications, which shall be based on the student’s:[4][6] 1. Age. 2. Cognitive function. 3. Maturity. 4. Demonstration of responsible behavior. Page 3 of 6
Revised: November 16, 2023 Information about the possession and use of emergency medications shall be distributed with the Student Code of Student Conduct and made available on the District website.[4][7][6][9] Use of Emergency Medications Requiring Follow-Up in Hospital Emergency The student shall notify the school nurse immediately following each occurrence of self-administration of medication. If the student is physically incapacitated and unable to notify the nurse, a witnessing adult staff member should notify the nurse immediately about the use of the asthma inhaler, epinephrine auto-injector, or other emergency medication. In the case of a child that has self-administered an emergency medication while in school and the nurse has been notified of the use of the medication, the student will require an immediate assessment by the school nurse in the following instances: 1. Self-administration of epinephrine auto-injector: In the event a student is believed to be
having an anaphylactic reaction, the school nurse or an individual in the school who is responsible for the storage and use of epinephrine auto-injectors shall contact 911 as soon as possible.[1][8][6][10] 2. Repeated administration of rescue inhalers: If a child has reported self-use of the rescue inhaler two or more times within a day, the school nurse must assess the child for need of hospital emergency follow-up. If the nurse assesses the student as in respiratory distress, the nurse shall immediately contact 911. If the nurse assesses the student as not in respiratory distress, the parent should be contacted and informed of their child’s repeated usage of the medication while in school.[4][6] 3. Administration of nasal spray for prolonged seizure activity: Seizures lasting longer than five minutes, where students have been prescribed an emergency seizure medication by their physician in the form of a fast acting nasal spray, may be self administered or by
school staff in the absence of a school nurse. 911 and the parents will be immediately contacted with each use. Rectal administration of a medication for prolonged seizure activity is not included and must be administered by a nurse. The school leader and/or nurse should notify the parent/guardian of the event. The event and parent/guardian communication should be documented in SIS. The school nurse should advise the parent/guardian to have the student follow up with their primary care physician. Follow-up with the child’s primary medical provider should be strongly encouraged. Page 4 of 6
Revised: November 16, 2023 Managing Emergency Medications in Schools without a Nurse: Schools can not accept medications until a school nurse is assigned. Exceptions to the policy are emergency medications below. In order for these emergency medications to be accepted by the school and administered a student must have a completed Request for Administration of Medicine form on-file. The form must be signed by a physician. Emergency Medications that can be accepted and administered by school staff: ● EpiPen (Epinephrine auto-injector) ● Asthma inhaler ● Prolonged seizure nasal spray The school leader should notify the parent/guardian of the event. The event and parent/guardian communication should be documented in SIS. Naloxone nasal spray is an emergency medication that can be administered by school staff, but does not require a completed Request for Administration of Medicine form. See Naloxone Policy 823 for additional information.
School staff are not compelled to treat medical emergencies. In the case of a medical emergency all school staff should be instructed to call 911. Health and PE teachers are CPR and First Aid certified and may act as support when feasible. The Office of Student Health Services provides support and training for schools without a school nurse. Schools without a nurse can request support and training about use/administration of emergency medications by emailing studenthealth@philasd.org. Use of Undesignated Emergency Medications for Students with Known or Unknown Conditions Training school employees to administer emergency medications to a student with known or unknown conditions, such as asthma or severe allergic reaction, is life saving and helps prevent emergencies. The following protocols allow trained employees to administer albuterol to any student experiencing an asthma episode or respiratory distress, or
auto-injection epinephrine (EpiPen) to any student experiencing a severe allergic reaction also known as anaphylaxis. ● Protocols for Use of Undesignated Albuterol Inhaler for Student with Known or Unknown Asthma and Respiratory Distress ● Protocols for Use of Undesignated Auto-Injection Epinephrine for Student with a Known or Unknown Risk for an Anaphylactic Reaction Page 5 of 6
Revised: November 16, 2023 Maintenance Schedule These Administrative Procedures will be reviewed upon review of the Policy, or upon the occurrence of a triggering event. Legal References: 1. 24 P.S. §1401 2. 35 Pa. C.S. §5502 3. Policy 103.1 - Nondiscrimination - Qualified Students with Disabilities/Protected Handicapped Students 4. Policy 113 - Special Education 5. 22 Pa. Code §12.41 6. 24 P.S. §1414.1 7. 24 P.S. §1409 8. Policy 216 - Student Records 9. Policy 218 - Student Conduct and Discipline 10. 24 P.S. §1414.2 Related Information: Pennsylvania Department of Health Guidelines for Pennsylvania Schools for the Administration of Medications and Emergency Care, March 2010 Page 6 of 6
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA No. 217 Section: 200 Pupils Title: High School Graduation Requirements Adopted: April 27, 1981 Revised: March 28, 2019 217 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS Purpose The Board of Education (“Board”) is committed to preparing every School District of Philadelphia (“District”) student to graduate ready for college and career. The purpose of this pPolicy is to provide equitable opportunities for each student and to acknowledge each student's successful completion of a School District approved high school instructional program by an award of a diploma or certificate. Authority The Pennsylvania School Code directs the Board to issue a certificate to each pupil satisfactorily completing the prescribed course of instruction in the high school program and to set the requirements of graduation in conformity with law.[1] The Board of Education sets the policy and the Superintendent has the authority to determine the
criteria for high school graduation. The high school principal certifies to the Superintendent students’ successful completion of the established graduation requirements. Guidelines The Board shall award a high school diploma to every student who meets the requirements for graduation. Such requirements shall include: 1. The successful completion of a minimum of 23.5 credits; 2. The completion of a service learning project; and Page 1 of 3
3. Any standards set by Commonwealth laws and regulations. Any standards set by Commonwealth laws and regulations shall be described and outlined in the administrative regulations accompanying this policy. A certificate of achievement in specially designated official programs of study may be awarded upon the approval of the Superintendent. A student who has completed the requirements for graduation may not be denied a diploma for disciplinary purposes but may be denied participation in graduation ceremonies upon the decision of the principal. Delegation of Responsibility The Board directs the Superintendent or their designee, through the Division of Academic Services, is authorized to develop Administrative pProcedures for implementing this pPolicy which include the following: ● aA detailed description and outline of all graduation requirements that conform with law; and ● procedures for the careful recording of each student's progress and accumulation of graduation requirements;
● pProcedures and standards for counseling of students to know what is expected of them for completion of their schooling;. ● procedures for issuance of periodic notifications to students in danger of not fulfilling graduation requirements; ● procedures for the preparation and submission to the Board for its approval a list of all candidates for the award of a diploma or certificate; ● standards for the preparation of suitable diplomas and certificates; and ● procedures for the planning and execution of graduation ceremonies which fittingly mark this important achievement. Mandatory Regulatory ProceduresGuidelines A certificate of achievement in specially designated official programs of study may be awarded upon the approval of the Superintendent. A student who has completed the requirements for graduation may not be denied a diploma for disciplinary purposes, but may be denied participation in graduation ceremonies upon the decision of the Superintendent or their designee.
The District shall publicly post on its publicly accessible Internet website its Graduation requirements on the District website. Legal References: 1. 24 P.S. §1613 Page 2 of 3
1. Pa. School Code, 24 P.S. § 1504(c) 2. Pa. School Code, 24 P.S. § 1611 3. Pa. School Code, 24 PS § 1613 4. Pa. School Code, 24 P.S. § 510.2 5. Pa. SB 1095 Page 3 of 3
Effective: March 28, 2019 Revised: Administrative Procedures for High School Graduation Requirements (Attachment for Policy No. 217) Purpose: The purpose of these Administrative pProcedures is to effectuate Policy 217 - High School Graduation Requirements and to ensureprovide consistency across the District for graduation requirements for students in the School District of Philadelphia (“District”). Definitions: For graduation from high school, students must meet all subject and credit requirements established by state law and must satisfy all policies and regulations established by the Board. Procedures: For graduation from high school, students must meet all subject and credit requirements established by Pennsylvania state law and must satisfy all Board Policies and other requirements established by the District. District Graduation Requirements A student shall graduatesatisfy District requirements for graduation if the following requirements are met:
● Successfully completes a Multidisciplinary Project or a Service Learning Project ● Earns a total of 23.5 credits, which include: o 4 in English o 3 in Mathematics; one must be Algebra 1, or students must complete locally established grade-based requirements for academic content associated with the Algebra 1 Keystone Exam.1 o 3 in Science; one must be biology, or students must complete locally established grade-based requirements for academic content associated with the Biology Keystone Exam.1 o 3 in Social Studies o 1 in African American History o 2 in World Language o 2 in Arts and Humanities o 1 in Physical Education o 0.5 in Health o 4 in Electives 1 Please see HERE for a comprehensive list of courses that satisfy these requirements Page 1 of 8
Effective: March 28, 2019 Revised: Electives are choice courses selected by students as an optional course of study. One elective must be a college preparatory Mathematics or Science course, an International Baccalaureate (IB) course, an Advanced Placement (AP) course, or a terminal Career Technical Education (CTE) course. Schools or programs may predetermine specific subject area elective credits. Students may take elective courses above and beyond the 4 required credits. One of the four required elective credits must satisfy one of the following: ● College preparatory Mathematics or Science course ● Math or Science elective course ● International Baccalaureate (IB) course ● Advanced Placement (AP) course ● Terminal Career Technical Education (CTE) course No course may count as satisfying more than one requirement. Scheduling errors and/or missing transfer transcripts do not exempt a student from completely fulfilling District
graduation requirements. The Chief of SchoolsAssociate Superintendent of Secondary Schools or their designee must approve any substitutions for requirements in writing. All children with disabilities in Pennsylvania have the right to earn a regular high school diploma. Students with disabilities may be enrolled in school and make progress toward fulfilling their graduation requirements until their 22nd birthday. Children can earn a diploma by completing the same courses and earning the same number of credits as regular education children. Or, a high school diploma can be awarded to a child with a disability who completes the special education program developed by the Individual Education Plan (IEP) Team, graduation by IEP goals. Children with disabilities can earn a diploma by: ● Completing the course and credit requirements listed above; or ● Completing the special education program developed by the Individual Education Plan (IEP) Team.
All high school programs that facilitate the attainment of graduation requirements will provide high school diplomas. Pennsylvania State Graduation Requirements regarding course subject matter are included in the District requirements above. In other words, if a student meets District graduation requirements, that student also meets State graduation requirements. A certificate of achievement in specially designated official programs of study may be awarded upon the approval of the Superintendent. A student who has completed the requirements for graduation may not be denied a diploma for disciplinary purposes. Act 158 - Statewide High School Graduation Requirements Page 2 of 8
Effective: March 28, 2019 Revised: Beginning in the 2021-22 School Year: The statewide graduation requirement will apply, in addition to locally-established policies and requirements. Keystone Exams are the statewide assessment that Pennsylvania uses to comply with accountability requirements in the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Students will meet the statewide graduation requirement by satisfying one of the following: ● Scoring proficient or advanced on each Keystone Exam - Algebra I, Literature, and Biology (Pathway I). ● Earning a satisfactory composite score of 4452 on the Algebra I, Literature, and Biology Keystone Exams and performance must include at least 1a score of Proficient or 2 Basic Advanced on one Keystone (Pathway II). The passing composite score will be available in August 2019. ● Earning a passing grade on the courses associated with each Keystone Exam, and satisfactorily complete one of the following: an alternative assessment (SAT, PSAT, ACT,
ASVAB, Gold Level ACT WorkKeys), advanced coursework (AP, IB, concurrent enrollment courses), pre-apprenticeship, or acceptance in a 4-year nonprofit institution of higher education for college-level coursework. ● Earning a passing grade on the courses associated with each Keystone Exam, and the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Concentrator must meet one of the following (Pathway III): ○ Attainment of an Industry-Based Competency Certification related to the CTE concentrator’s program of study OR ○ Demonstration of high likelihood of success on approved industry-based competency assessment NOCTI or the National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) in an approved Career and Technical Education concentration consistent with the CTE concentrator’s goals and career plan. The determination shall be made no later than the end of the eleventh grade, or, if a student enrolled in a one-year program, the end of the first semester of twelfth grade.
i. High likelihood of success means that the student does the following: 1. Participating in all levels of programming, through terminal year; 2. Attaining a minimum of one certification; 3. Participating in pre-NOCTI and NOCTI; or a. Passing a final Exam if they do not participate in NOCTI. Page 3 of 8
Effective: March 28, 2019 Revised: OR ○ Demonstration of readiness for continued meaningful engagement in a CTE Concentrator Program of Study as demonstrated by performance on benchmark assessments, course grades, and other factors consistent with the CTE concentrator’s goals and career plan. The determination shall be made no later than the end of the eleventh grade, or, if a student enrolled in a one-year program, the end of the first semester of twelfth grade. NOTE: Standards for completion of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming can be found in Policy 115 - Career and Technical Education. ● Earning a passing grade on the courses associated with each Keystone Exam, and pass the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) or the National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) assessment in an approved Career and Technical Education concentration ● Earning a passing grade on the courses associated with each Keystone Exam, and
satisfactorily complete one of the following (Pathway IV): ○ Attain the necessary score (or higher) on any of these alternative assessments: SAT (1010), PSAT 10 (970), PSAT/NMSQT (970), ACT (21), ASVAB (31), ACT WorkKeys (Gold Level), advanced coursework (AP (3), IB(4)) OR ○ A concurrent course (dual-enrollment) for each Keystone that a student did not score proficient OR ○ An approved pre-apprenticeship OR ○ Acceptance in a 4-year nonprofit institution of higher education for college-level coursework. ● Earning a passing grade on the courses associated with each Keystone Exam, and demonstrating readiness for postsecondary engagement through three pieces of evidence from the student’s career portfolio aligned to student goals and career plan. Examples of evidence will include ACT WorkKeys, SAT Subject tests, AP, IB and concurrent coursework, higher education acceptance, community learning project, completion of an internship, externship or co-op or full-time employment. Page 4 of 8
Effective: March 28, 2019 Revised: ○ Evidence shall include at least one of the following: ■ ACT WorkKeys (Silver), AP (3), IB (3) ■ Successful completion of concurrent coursework (dual-enrollment) ■ Successful completion of a postsecondary course ■ Acceptance in an accredited nonprofit institution of higher education or other than 4-year institution with ability to enroll in college-level coursework ■ Attainment of an industry-recognized credential ○ Evidence shall include up to two of the following: ■ Service learning project ■ Completion of an internship, externship or co-op or full-time employment ■ Letter guaranteeing military enlistment ■ Compliance with NCAA’s course for college bound student athletes regardless of postsecondary intent. (Pathway V) ● Students must earn a passing grade (60 percent or higher) in content areas where students did not score proficient on a Keystone exam. Act 1 - Experiencing Education Instability
Act 1 of 2022 (Act 1) promotes timely high school graduation and facilitates equal access to academics and extracurricular activities and the removal of systemic barriers for students who experience education instability as defined by the legislation. School Responsibilities ● Identify eligible students who experience “education instability,” if a student has not already been identified as such. The criteria for education instability is set forth in Act 1. ● Keep information about educational instability confidential. ● For students in grades 9-12, develop and execute a graduation plan in collaboration with the student to support the student’s on-time graduation. Said graduation plan needs to be included in the Student Information System and/or EasyIEP. ● Establish a Point of Contact for all eligible students. The Point of Contact’s information is recorded in District systems. ○ The Point of Contact is responsible for completion of all tasks required by Act 1.
○ A Point of Contact must work with school staff to arrange consultations and facilitate academic placement of students. If a student is experiencing instability defined under Act 1, they or a parent/guardian should reach out to a counselor or the Act 1 point of contact at their school for support in graduation planning. Page 5 of 8
Effective: March 28, 2019 Revised: Central Office Responsibilities The Office of Graduation Pathways in collaboration with the Office of School Organization and Management is responsible for the following actions: ● Develop policies and procedures that enable equal access to educational activities. ● Provide information and documentation related to best practices for tracking and communicating student progress toward graduation. ● Award full or partial credits for work satisfactorily completed at prior school entities, including those issued from a school associated with a residential placement. ● Align graduation requirements for Act 1 eligible students to District graduation requirements. ● Determine if a student has met graduation requirements. Note: Policy 217 is about Graduation Requirements. For graduation ceremonies, schools must give students and parents/guardians advance notice regarding the conditions under which a
student’s participation in a graduation ceremony may be withheld. Such advance notice may be provided to students and parents/guardians through a student handbook or a letter to seniors and their parents/guardians. Act 1 and Special Education ● If the mandates of Act 1 conflict in any way with the rights a student has under an IEP or 504 Plan, a school entity implements the requirements specific to the student with a disability under applicable disability laws. ● Students may still graduate either through credit acquisition or through the completion of IEP goals. ● Importantly, students who have IEPs may still elect to remain in school, until the age allowed by law, and graduate with the current graduating class. Graduation Supports and Resources Graduation requirements and the District’s marking guidelines are publicly accessible and posted on the District’s website. The Office of Postsecondary Readiness/Pathways to Graduation offers support to schools
around transcript reviews and course approvals, Dual Enrollment opportunities, Advanced Placement courses, Career and Technical Education (CTE) programming and certifications, College and Career Readiness guidance, career planning, non-CTE credentials and certifications, Career Connected Learning opportunities, and credit recovery opportunities. Page 6 of 8
Effective: March 28, 2019 Revised: The Office of Student Support Services (OSSS) offers services to assist students who are encountering barriers to their academic success or personal growth, and helps students negotiate situations by connecting them with appropriate internal staff and outside resources. Specifically, OSSS provides services for unhoused students, students transitioning into the District, and ELECT (Education Leading to Employment and Career Training). School Responsibilities Schools are responsible for counseling students to know what is expected of them for meeting their subject and credit requirements and completion of their schooling in alignment with Policy 213 - Assessment of Student Progress, Policy 215 - Promotion and Retention, and their related Administrative Procedures. Schools should refer to the information included in Policy 212 - Reporting Student Progress and its Administrative
Procedures around providing periodic notifications to students in danger of failing. Information and guidance related to planning and execution of graduation ceremonies is provided in Policy 222 - Field Trips, Social Events, and Class Trips and its Administrative Procedures. Mandatory Regulatory Procedures: For graduation from high school, students must meet or exceed all subject, credit attainment, and assessment requirements established by state law and must satisfy all policies and regulations established by the District and the School Board. Such requirements shall include the successful completion of courses of study for a high school approved by the Board and which meet the standards set by State laws and regulations. A certificate of achievement in specially designated official programs of study may be awarded upon the approval of the Superintendent. A student who has completed the requirements for graduation may not be denied a diploma for disciplinary purposes.
Graduation requirements must be posted on the Board of Education’s website (here) and be publicly accessible. Maintenance Schedule These Administrative Procedures will be reviewed upon review of the Policy, or upon the occurrence of a triggering event. Satisfaction of graduation requirements will be assessed annually for eligible students attending District high schools and approved by the high school principal. Page 7 of 8
Effective: March 28, 2019 Revised: Legal References: State School Code Sections 1504(c); 1611; 1613; Pa. SB 1095 Page 8 of 8
Page 1 of 3 THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA No. 314.1 SECTION: 300 Employees TITLE: HIV Infection in Employees ADOPTED: November 18, 1985 REVISED: December 14, 2017 314.1 HIV INFECTION IN EMPLOYEES Purpose The School Reform Commission (SRC) is committed to providing a safe, healthy environment for its students and employees and adopts this policy to safeguard the health and well-being of students and employees while protecting the rights of employees. In fulfillment of that commitment, the SRC has and shall continue to seek guidance from appropriate medical, educational, legal and government authorities. Definitions HIV Infection/Diagnosis - refers to the disease caused by the HIV or human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV Status-refers to a positive, negative or undetectable result in a lab test to detect HIV presence in the body.
HIV positive employee- refers to individuals medically diagnosed as having HIV Infection. Health condition-the noted level of wellness in a person as it relates to their physical state and ability to participate in their routine and expected daily activities. Bodily fluid--a fluid or fluid secretion (such as blood, lymph, saliva, semen, rectal fluid, drainage from cuts, vomitus, respiratory secretions or urine) of the body. Authority The SRC directs that the established SRC policies and administrative procedures relative to illnesses among district employees shall also apply to HIV positive employees.[1][2][3] Other provisions specific to HIV positive employees shall also be addressed in accordance with SRC Policy 203.1 HIV Infection. [4] The SRC shall not require routine HIV screening tests in the workplace, nor will such tests be a condition for employment.
Page 2 of 3 The district is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination based on actual or perceived HIV status.[2] Delegation of Responsibility The SRC directs that the established SRC policies and administrative procedures governing attendance relative to illnesses and other diseases among employees shall also apply to HIV positive employees.[1] The Office of Employee Health Services shall be responsible for developing and releasing all procedures concerning HIV infection and HIV positive employees. All district employees shall maintain a respectful working climate and shall not participate in physical or verbal harassment of any individual or group, including HIV positive (or perceived positive) employees.[2] [5] An HIV positive employee whose employment is interrupted or terminated shall be entitled to available medical leave and medical disability benefits on the same eligibility basis as any other district employee who is qualified for such leave or benefits due to illness.[1][5]
Confidentiality Every employee must treat as highly confidential any knowledge or speculation concerning the HIV status or diagnosis of an employee. Violation of medical privacy shall be cause for disciplinary action, criminal prosecution, and/or personal liability for a civil suit.[2] No information regarding a person’s HIV status or diagnosis will be divulged to any individual or organization without a court order or the informed, written, signed and dated consent of the person who is HIV positive. Employees shall not make inquiries regarding the HIV status or diagnosis of any employee. The Office of Employee Health Services shall securely maintain any hard or electronic copy health records, notes or other documents that references a person’s HIV status or diagnosis.[7] Legal References: 1. Pol. 334 - Sick Leave 2. Pol. 104 - Nondiscrimination in Employment Practices 3. Pol. 348 - Unlawful Harassment 4. Pol 203.1- Student HIV Infection 5. Pol. 317 - Conduct/Disciplinary Procedures
6. Pol. 314 - Physical Examination 7. Pol. 324 - Personnel Files Related Information: 24 P.S. 510 35 P.S. 7601 et seq Philadelphia Home Rule Charter - 12-300
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA No. 324 Section: 300 Employees Title: Personnel Files Adopted: April 27, 1981 Revised: August 17, 2017 324 PERSONNEL FILES Purpose The Board of Education (“Board”) recognizes its legal duty to make certain records in a personnel file available to School District of Philadelphia (“District”) employees. The purpose of this Policy is to describe what information is contained in a personnel file, who can access information contained in a personnel file and under what circumstances, and how to access that information in conformity with law. Authority Pennsylvania state law and federal law requires that the District contain certain information in a personnel file and that they make that information accessible in conformity with law. [1][2] Orderly operation of the school district requires maintaining a file for the retention of all records relative to an individual's duties and responsibilities as an administrative, professional or support
employee of the district. The School Reform Commission requires that sufficient records be maintained to ensure an employee's qualifications for the job held; compliance with federal and state laws and regulations and local benefit programs; conformance with SRC policies, administrative procedures, and rules; and evidence of completed evaluations. Definitions Employee - any person currently employed and paid for full- or part-time work through the district’s payroll system, laid off with re-employment rights, or on an approved leave of absence. The term employee shall not include applicants for employment or any other person.[1] Delegation of Responsibility The Board directs the Superintendent or their designee, through the Office of Talent, to maintain personnel files in conformity with law and to develop Administrative Procedures Page 1 of 4
regarding the material to be incorporated into personnel files, who can access personnel files and under what circumstances, and how to do so. The Office of Talent shall maintain personnel records centrally. It also shall not maintain employee medical records in a personnel file.[2][3] The Office of Talent is the only authorized custodian determining the documents in the personnel file and shall clearly outline how an employee may access their own personnel file and request changes to the same in the Administrative Procedures to this Policy. The Office of Talent shall specify how employees who wish to challenge the material in their personnel file may do so and describe the process in the Administrative Procedures to this Policy. The SRC delegates the establishment and maintenance of official personnel records to the Superintendent or designee, who shall prepare administrative procedures defining the material to be incorporated into personnel files. Mandatory Regulatory Procedures
A central file shall be maintained; supplemental records may be maintained only for ease in data gathering. Medical records shall be kept in a file separate from the employee's personnel file.[2][3] Only information that pertains to the professional and legal role of the employee and is submitted by duly authorized district staff or the SRC may be entered in the official personnel file. A copy of each entry shall be made available to the employee, except for matters pertaining to pending litigation or criminal investigation. Personnel records shall be available to the SRC but only as required in the performance of its designated functions as a School Board. Personnel files shall be reviewed periodically, and material no longer required shall be destroyed. Employee Access Employee Access - All active employees shall have access to one (1) copy of their personnel file per school year (July through June). Employees must submit a signed written request identifying
the requesting individual employee including Employee ID. Information relative to confidential employment references/recommendations are not part of the personnel file and shall not be available for review by the employee.[4] Former employees shall have access to their personnel file upon written request. Former employees must submit a signed written request identifying the requesting individual employee. Appeals Page 2 of 4
Employees wishing to appeal material in their personnel file shall submit a written request to the administrator delegated to maintain the records and shall specify: 1. Name and date. 2. Material to be appealed. 3. Basis or reason for appeal. The responsible administrator shall consider the appeal and make a determination for the Superintendent’s review. Title I Schools In conformityaccordance with law, the dDistrict shall release to parents/guardians, upon request, information regarding the professional qualifications and academic degrees of any teacher providing instruction to their child and at a school receiving Title I funds. The district shall annually notify parents/guardians at the beginning of the school year about their right to request such information.[5][6][7][8] The district shall notify parents/guardians of students attending Title I schools when their child has been assigned to or taught for four (4) or more consecutive
weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified appropriately state certified, as defined by federal law.[4][5][6][7] In conformityaccordance with law, the dDistrict shall release to parents/guardians, upon request, the qualifications of any paraprofessionals who provide instructional support to their child at a school receiving Title I funds. The dDistrict shall annually notify parents/guardians at the beginning of the school year about their right to request such information.[5][6][7][8][9] Delegation of Responsibility The SRC delegates the establishment and maintenance of official personnel records to the Superintendent or designee, who shall prepare administrative procedures defining the material to be incorporated into personnel files. A central file shall be maintained; supplemental records may be maintained only for ease in data gathering. Medical records shall be kept in a file separate from the employee's personnel file.[2][3] Legal References: 1. 43 P.S. §1321
2. 42 U.S.C. §12112 3. 42 U.S.C. §2000ff, et seq. 4. 43 P.S. 1321 et seq 5. 22 Pa. Code §403.4 6. 20 U.S.C. §6311 7. 20 U.S.C. 7801 8. Pol.icy 304 - Employment of District Staff Page 3 of 4
9. 22 Pa. Code §403.5 Related Information: 24 P.S. 111 24 P.S. 510 22 PA Code 8.1 et seq 23 Pa. C.S.A. 6301 et seq 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq 8 CFR 274a.2 Pol.icy 800 - Records Management Philadelphia Home Rule Charter- 12-30 Page 4 of 4
Effective: Administrative Procedures for Personnel Files (Attachment for Policy No. 324) Purpose The Board of Education (“Board”) recognizes its legal duty to make certain records in a personnel file available to those who have legitimate legal reason to request access. The purpose of these Administrative Procedures is to effectuate Policy 324 - Personnel Files and describe what information is contained in a personnel file, who can access information contained in a personnel file and under what circumstances, and how to access that information in conformity with law. Definitions Employer: Any individual, person, partnership, association, corporation, the Commonwealth, any of its political subdivisions or any agency, authority, board or commission created by them. For purposes of these Administrative Procedures, employer means only the Board of Education and/or School District of Philadelphia (“District”).
Employee: Any person currently employed and paid for full- or part-time work through the District’s payroll system, laid off with reemployment rights, or on leave of absence. The term employee shall not include applicants for employment or any other person. Procedures Contents of Personnel Files The contents of a personnel file kept by the Office of Employee Records may vary depending upon the particular circumstances of individuals and the nature of their requests, choices, and position. As part of day-to-day school operations, there may be files kept by school administrators which may not be elevated to a staff member’s central personnel file. These may include, but are not limited to, recorded verbal unsatisfactory incidents that do not rise to the level of the Office of Labor Relations’ involvement. The Office Of Employee Records maintains the following categories of documents: 1. Category B: This is what is considered the official personnel file. It may include:
i. Applications for employment and other new hire documents ii. Resumes iii. Clearances iv. Certifications v. Offer letters 1. Position and pay changes vi. Information about paid or unpaid leave vii. Notices of commendations Page 1 of 4
Effective: viii. Disciplinary documentation ix. Authorization for a deduction or withholding of pay x. Fringe benefit information xi. Retirement records xii. Attendance records xiii. Performance evaluations xiv. IRS forms W-4 The term “personnel file” shall not include records of an employee relating to the investigation of a possible criminal offense, letters of reference, documents which are being developed or prepared for use in civil, criminal or grievance procedures, medical records or materials which are used by the employer to plan for future operations or information available to the employee under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (84 Stat. 1127-1136, 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.). Documents in a personnel file will be maintained in conformity with any applicable collective bargaining agreement and/or applicable law. 2. Category I: This information is maintained separately from the personnel file. a. I-9 form
Other categories of employee-related records are maintained by other program offices.1 Employee Access All employees, or their agent, shall have reasonable access to copies of their personnel file. Employees must submit a signed written request via the Employment Verification Records Request Form identifying their Employee ID and other required personally identifiable information. Former employees may access their personnel file upon by submitting a signed written request, identifying the requesting individual employee, to the Office of Employee Records at employeerecords@philasd.org. Records will be maintained in conformity with Policy 800-Records Management, its Administrative Procedures, and associated retention schedules and records protocols. Third Party Access to Personnel Files Any requests for full unredacted personnel files by third parties must be accompanied by written authorization from the subject employee.
1 Category A records are payroll records that are maintained by payroll. Category R records are retirement and benefit records that are maintained by Employee Benefits. Category D records are medical records maintained by Employee Health Services. Page 2 of 4
Effective: Third party requests for personnel files not accompanied by written authorization from the subject employee shall be processed in conformity with Policy 801- Public Records. The District shall comply with any lawfully issued subpoena. Requests for Amendment of Personnel File Contents Employees wishing to request an amendment of the contents of or material in their personnel file shall submit a written request to the Office of Employee and Labor Relations at employeerelations@philasd.org to maintain the records and shall specify: 1. Name of the employee and date of the request; 2. Material the employee desires to alter; and 3. Basis or reason for the request. The Deputy of Employee and Labor Relations, or their designee, shall consider the request and make a determination. The Office of Employee and Labor Relations shall report data regarding the number of requests and the results of those requests to the Deputy Superintendent of Talent,
Strategy, and Culture on an annual basis. As always, any individual alleging or witnessing harassment and discrimination may report these incidents in conformity with Policy 348- Harassment and Discrimination of Employees, or they can email employeetitleixcomplaints@philasd.org. Title I Schools In conformity with law, the District shall release to parents/guardians, upon request, information regarding the professional qualifications and academic degrees of any teacher providing instruction to their child. To make such a request, parents/guardians should contact the principal of the student’s school. Parents/guardians are notified of this right at the beginning of each school year through a letter home that is also available on the Parent Portal. The letter is available in conformity with Board Policy 139 - Supporting Language Accessibility for Parents/Guardians Whose Primary Language is Not English.
If a child has been taught for four (4) or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not appropriately certified, parents/guardians shall be notified by the student’s school. The letter is available in conformity with Board Policy 139 - Supporting Language Accessibility for Parents/Guardians Whose Primary Language is Not English. In conformity with law, the District shall release to parents/guardians, upon request, the qualifications of any paraprofessionals who provide instructional support to their child. The District shall annually notify parents/guardians at the beginning of the school year about their right to request such information. Parents/guardians are notified of this right at the beginning of each school year through a letter home that is also available on the Parent Portal. The letter is Page 3 of 4
Effective: available in conformity with Board Policy 139 - Supporting Language Accessibility for Parents/Guardians Whose Primary Language is Not English. Maintenance Schedule These Administrative Procedures will be reviewed upon review of the Policy, or upon the occurrence of a triggering event. Related Information: Policy 801 - Public Records Policy 348 - Harassment and Discrimination - Employees Policy 139 - Supporting Language Accessibility for Parents/Guardians Whose Primary Language is Not English Parent and Family Right to Know Information Page 4 of 4
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA No. 804 Section: 800 Operations Title: Mandatory Instructional Time School Day Adopted: April 27, 1981 Revised: March 28, 2019 804 MANDATORY INSTRUCTIONAL TIME SCHOOL DAY Purpose The Board of Education (“Board”) recognizes that upholding the legal requirements for instructional hours is necessary for the efficient operation of the School District of Philadelphia (“District”) and that the organization of the school day promotes a well-rounded education for all District students. The purpose of this Policy is to provide the necessary guidance to meet instructional time requirements provided by Pennsylvania law. State law and Board Policy shall determine normal school day for the instruction of pupils in the School District of Philadelphia. Definitions: For the purposes of this policy, the terms below are defined as follows: School Term - Public pre kindergartens, when offered, and kindergartens, elementary and
secondary schools shall be kept open each school year for a minimum of 180 days of instruction for students. Days may not be counted as days taught on which the schools are closed, and time may not be counted as a student session for an activity to which admission is charged. However, when a meritorious educational program warrants, the Secretary may, upon request, approve a school term containing a minimum of 990 secondary or 900 elementary and 450 kindergarten hours of instruction as the equivalent of 180 school days. A Prekindergarten Program may be exempted from this requirement when approval as a meritorious prekindergarten is granted as provided in § PA Code 4.20(8). School Day - Instruction time for students shall be time in the school day devoted to instruction and instructional activities provided as an integral part of the school program under the direction of certified school employees. The beginning and ending hours for student attendance each day
inclusive of both instructional and non-instructional time. Page 1 of 3
Instructional Time - as required by the PA School Code for 180 days is 900 hours at the elementary school level and 990 hours at the secondary school level. Minimum required hours - Minimum hours of instruction time for students shall be as follows: Grade Hours PreK—K 2 hours, 30 minutes, each day of the school term, unless exempted from the minimum hours of instructional time under § PA Code 11.1 (relating to school term) K 2 hours, 30 minutes, each day of the school term 1—6 900 hours for the school term 7—12 990 hours for the school term Schools with grade level configurations that differ from those outlined in subsection (for example, K-8), are required to meet the minimum annual hourly requirements for each specified grade level. Non-instructional time - lunch, recess, and student transition. Authority The Pennsylvania School Code directs that the Board keep all District public schools, including public kindergartens, open in conformity with law and directs the Board to fix
the date of the beginning of the school year and duration of daily sessions. [1][2] Delegation of Responsibility: The Board directs the Superintendent or their designee, through the Division of Academic Services and in conjunction with other appropriate District departments, is authorized to determine, in accordance with this pPolicy and applicable laws, the configuration of the school day and maintain Administrative Procedures that define instructional and non-instructional time. [1][2][3][4][5] The Superintendent or their designee, through the Division of Academic Services, shall develop Administrative Procedures which allow students to enter schools, and to leave schools, under exceptional conditions so that variances with the normal school schedule may be accommodated. Mandatory Regulatory Procedures: The school day will be established by the Superintendent in accordance with the following: Page 2 of 3
A. A school day includes instructional and non-instructional time, as explained in the Administrative Procedures defined as such lunch, recess and student transition. The minimum instructional time required by the PA Pennsylvania School Code for 180 days is 900 hours at the elementary school level and 990 hours at the secondary school level. [4] B. The normal school day may be altered temporarily by the Superintendent when such alteration is in the best interests of the students and the District. [1][2][3][6] C. The Superintendent may close the schools, delay the opening of schools, or dismiss schools early for emergency reasons in order to protect the health and safety of students and staff. The Superintendent or his/hertheir designee shall prepare procedures for the proper and timely notification of concerned persons in the event of such an emergency closing. [1][2][3][5] The regular school session may be temporarily altered when such alternation is in the best
interest of the District by the Superintendent with the approval of the Board president and as allowed by law. [1][2] The Superintendent shall develop administrative procedures which allow students to enter schools, and to leave schools, under exceptional conditions so that variances with the normal school schedule may be accommodated. Legal References: 1. 24 P.S. § 15-1501 2. 24 P.S. § 15-1504 3. 24 P.S. § 15-1502 4. 22 Pa. Code § 11.2 5. 22 Pa. Code § 11.3 6. Policy 805 - Emergency Preparedness Page 3 of 3
Effective Date: April 27, 1981 Revised: March 28, 2019 Administrative Procedures for Mandatory Instructional TimeSchool Day (Attachment for Policy No. 804) Purpose: ThisThe purpose of these Administrative Procedures is to outlines requirements for the School District of Philadelphia (“dDistrict”) and school administrators related to mandatory instructional timeon the school day. Definitions School term: As defined by the School Code, the period of time elapsing between the opening of the public schools in the fall of one year and the closing of the public schools in the spring of the following year. School day: The combination of instructional and non-instructional time that makes up the total hours students participate in the educational program. Instructional time: As required by the PA School Code, 900 hours for a 180 day school year at the elementary school level and 990 hours at the secondary school level. Schools that
span both elementary and secondary grades (e.g., K-8 schools) adhere to the state-required instructional hours by grade. Non-instructional time: lunch, recess, and student transition. Procedures for exceptional conditions or extreme weather: Instructional v. Non-Instructional Time Examples of Instructional Time (including, but not limited to) 1. Pupil personnel services, such as guidance and counseling services, psychological services, speech pathology and audiology services, and pupil health services conducted during school hours; 2. Opening exercises, including circle time in pre-K and kindergarten, homeroom periods, supervised study halls and time when students are eating breakfast during the regularly scheduled homeroom periods or during classroom instruction; 3. Assemblies, clubs, student councils, and similar activities conducted during school hours; 4. School, group or class educational trips, to which admission is not charged to
students or parents, if accompanied by a certificated school employee; 5. Civil defense, fire and other similar drills; 6. Pre-K and kindergarten orientation activities, snack-time and play-time if they are an integral part of the pre-K and kindergarten curriculum as long as they take place under the direction of a certified teacher and are used for students’ learning Page 1 of 5
Effective Date: April 27, 1981 Revised: March 28, 2019 experiences (Note: "Recess" time conducted with the same parameters as primary grade recess is not counted as instructional time); 7. For pupils in graduating classes, up to three days for graduation preparation within 60 days of the commencement ceremony under the supervision of certified school employees. Graduation preparation may be held on Saturdays; and 8. Early dismissal and delayed opening due to inclement weather. Examples of Non-Instructional Time 1. Lunch period. However, an exception is made for: a. Special education students identified as moderately to severely handicapped if their Individualized Education Program (IEP) includes teaching social and motor skills related to meal-time activities such as the use of eating utensils; and, b. Pre-K students if lunch is an integral part of the pre-K curriculum, takes place under the direction of a certified teacher and is used for student learning experiences.
2. Recess and time for passing from class to class 3. Early dismissal or delayed opening for reasons other than inclement weather 4. Teacher meetings dealing with routine matters, such as record keeping responsibilities, and other similar activities 5. Transportation of pupils; for example, time spent transporting students to an area vocational-technical school 6. Celebrating, picnicking, hunting, fishing, or harvesting crops 7. Any activity for which admission is charged to students or parents 8. Viewing or reviewing material that has as its purpose the marketing of commercial products. Act 80 Exceptions The Division of Academic Services can provide additional information about exceptions to the 180-day requirement or daily schedule. The requirement for minimum instructional hours for the school year must still be met. Depending on the amount of instructional time lost, the Division of Academic Services will work within the State’s guidelines to determine
whether or not time will need to be made up, and how and when that instructional time will be made up. Please see the Basic Education Circular on this topic for more information. Requirements A. The Division of Academic Services shall fix the date of the beginning of the school term and set bell schedules in conformity with applicable law. Page 2 of 5
Effective Date: April 27, 1981 Revised: March 28, 2019 B. The minimum length of an instructional school day for certain grade levels shall be as follows:1 1. Nursery schools—2 hours. 2. Kindergarten—2 1/2 hours. 3. Grades 1 through 8—5 hours. 4. Grades 9 through 12—5 1/2 hours. C. In grades K through 12, schools shall be in session a minimum of 180 days of instruction or the equivalent clock hour requirements containing a minimum of 990 secondary (grades 7-12) or 900 elementary (grades 1-6) and 450 kindergarten hours of instruction as the equivalent of 180 school days. D. Schools with grade level configurations that differ from those outlined in subsection (for example, K-8), are required to meet the minimum annual hourly requirements for each specified grade level. E. Instruction time for pupils shall be the time during the school day which is devoted to instruction and activities provided as an integral part of the school program under the direction of certified school employees.
1. The Superintendent or their designee, the Division of Academic Services shall identify the required starting and ending time of a school day for students and certified staff. F. Represented employees shall receive break and lunch times in conformity with their applicable collective bargaining agreement and applicable law. Alterations to Normal Instructional Schedule The School District of Philadelphia must follow the State guidelines regarding alterations to normal instructional schedules and emergency closures. State guidelines for Districts may differ from guidelines for charter schools and private schools. Procedures for the District will be provided to Principals annually so that they can be clearly communicated to school staff and families. Flexible Instructional Days Local education agencies (LEAs) access and submit the Flexible Instructional Day (FID) application using the Future Ready Comprehensive Planning Portal (FRCPP). The Board
must approve the District’s statement in the application for flexible instructional days (FID). The Superintendent also must sign the application and provide assurances for the District’s program for the application to be submitted. If the application is accepted, then it is valid for three (3) years. Completed applications for the following school year are due annually by June 1. The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) must notify applicants by no later than August 1. 1 22 Pa. Code § 51.61: Instructional school day and school year. Page 3 of 5
Effective Date: April 27, 1981 Revised: March 28, 2019 A FID may be used in place of in-person instruction for any one of the following reasons: ● a disease epidemic, ● a hazardous weather condition, ● a law enforcement emergency, ● the inoperability of school buses or other equipment necessary to the public-school entity's operation, damage to school buildings, or ● another temporary circumstance rendering any portion of a school building unfit or unsafe for use. The District must still arrange for services to provide, or make arrangements to provide in the future, a free and appropriate education (FAPE) to students, despite the District using a FID. Attendance must be tracked during a FID. The District must complete an annual survey provided by PDE regarding FID usage. PDE sends the survey annually on or before April 30. The deadline to return the survey to PDE is June 30. Procedures for Exceptional Conditions or Extreme Weather
When the District is compelled to close any school(s) because of contagious disease, natural disaster, or other emergency, the general procedures in the Department of Education Basic Education Circular entitled “Emergency School Closings” are to be followed in asking PDE to exercise its discretion and grant a waiver to allow the school entity to receive full subsidy reimbursement for providing less than a minimum term of 180 days because of the emergency closing. For exceptional conditions or extreme weather, the District works with the City of Philadelphia and other partners to determine whether or not schools and/or administrative offices will have a delayed opening, early closure, or full closure. The District will determine whether or not a closure due to exceptional conditions or extreme weather becomes a full closure day or a remote day depending on the circumstance. In the event of exceptional conditions or extreme weather, information about closure decisions,
dismissal, and transportation can be found on the District’s Inclement Weather website. Any impact of emergency closures on scheduled athletic activities will be communicated to schools through the Division of Athletics. the Superintendent and/or designated administrators, has outlined the following procedures: ● Closed: transportation to and from school will not be provided by the District or its vendors. ● Early dismissal: all buses will run on an early dismissal schedule. ● Two-hour delay: all buses for all schools will run on a two-hour delay. Page 4 of 5
Effective Date: April 27, 1981 Revised: March 28, 2019 You can call the District’s hotline at 215-400-INFO or visit the District’s website (www.philasd.org). In the event that schools are closed due to extreme weather, a decision will be made in each instance as to whether administrative offices, including regional offices, will remain open. Unless it is announced that administrative offices are closed, assume they will be open. Details will also be made available via Facebook and Twitter. Follow us on Twitter @PHLschools. Closure details will also be made available on all School District websites and social media platforms, on the District hotline (215-400-INFO) as well as through the City of Philadelphia’s broadcast news stations and channels. Related Information: PDE Flexible Instructional Day Webpage PDE Flexible Instructional Days Guidance and Considerations PDE Flexible Instructional Day Frequently Asked Questions
PDE Basic Education Circular - Instructional Time and Act 80 Exceptions PDE Basic Education Circular - Emergency School Closings Policy 805 - Emergency Preparedness Page 5 of 5
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA No. 815 Section: 800 Operations Title: Acceptable Use of Internet, Technology, and Network Resources Adopted: March 15, 2012 Revised: May 18, 2017 815 ACCEPTABLE USE OF INTERNET, TECHNOLOGY, AND NETWORK RESOURCES Purpose The Board of Education (“Board”) recognizes the importance of providing students and staff with access to internet and technology resources as a necessary piece of building core academic knowledge and promoting safe and welcoming learning environments. The purpose of this Policy is to provide students, staff, and other authorized persons using the School District of Philadelphia (“District”) networks and equipment with the standards on using these resources safely and inform stakeholders of these standards. The School District of Philadelphia provides students, staff, parents/guardians, and other authorized individuals with access to technology, computing equipment, electronic
communication systems, and network resources, which includes Internet access, whether wired or wireless, or by any other means. This access has a limited education purpose for students and is to facilitate employees’ work productivity. For instructional purposes, the use of Internet, technology and network resources shall be consistent with the curriculum adopted by the district, as well as the varied instructional needs, learning styles, abilities, and developmental levels of students. Authority The Pennsylvania Public School Code permits the Board to adopt and enforce such reasonable rules and regulations as it may deem necessary and proper, regarding the appropriate use of internet and technology resources provided by the District. [1] Delegation of Responsibility Page 1 of 11
The Board directs the Superintendent or their designee, through the Office of Information Technology and Data Management (OITDM), to develop Administrative Procedures that mandate the standard of acceptable use of District internet and technology resources in conformity with applicable law and Board policies. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] [13][14] These Administrative Procedures shall at a minimum include the following: 1. Acceptable Use Agreements accessible for various types of users; 2. Guidelines regarding good digital citizenship accessible for various types of users; 3. Webmaster Agreements for those authorized individuals; 4. Wireless Internet Access Terms and Conditions; 5. Protocols for reporting suspicious activities and/or conduct that violates this Policy; and 6. Protocols for requesting exceptions to this Policy and related documents, in conformity with law and Board policy. Users shall have no expectation of privacy in anything they create, store, send, delete,