Section 1-123.1 - Commission on education and economic competitiveness(a) The Commission on Education and Economic Competitiveness is established.(b) Membership shall be as follows: (1) The commission shall consist of the following members:(i) The Secretary of Education.(ii) The Secretary of Labor and Industry.(iii) The chair and minority chair of the Education Committee of the Senate and the chair and minority chair of the Education Committee of the House of Representatives.(iv) The chair and minority chair of the Labor and Industry Committee of the Senate and the chair and minority chair of the Labor and Industry Committee of the House of Representatives.(v) Two (2) legislators from each of the four (4) caucuses to be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, in consultation with the majority leader and the minority leader of the Senate and the majority leader and the minority leader of the House of Representatives.(2) The commission shall appoint a member to serve as chair of the commission and shall designate two (2) members who shall serve as chairs of the subcommittee.(c) The Subcommittee on Education Planning is established within the commission. The subcommittee shall consult with the commission for advisement on the long-term education goals of the Commonwealth, including interim goals. The membership of the subcommittee shall consist of the following members:(1) The Secretary of Community and Economic Development or a designee.(2) The Deputy Secretary of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning.(3) The Deputy Secretary of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.(4) The Deputy Secretary of the Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education.(5) The Deputy Secretary for Workforce Development.(6) Two (2) members of the commission.(7) One member representing each of the following organizations:(i) The Pennsylvania School Boards Association.(ii) The Pennsylvania State Education Association.(iii) The Pennsylvania chapter of the American Federation of Teachers.(iv) The Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials.(v) The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators.(vi) The Pennsylvania Principals Association.(vii) The Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units.(viii) The Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators.(ix) The Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools.(x) The Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools.(xi) The African American Charter School Coalition.(xii) The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference.(xiii) The Pennsylvania Association of Career and Technical Administrators.(xiv) The Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools.(xv) The state system of higher education.(xvi) The Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.(xvii) The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania.(xviii) The Pennsylvania State University.(xix) The University of Pittsburgh.(xxi) Lincoln University.(xxii) Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.(xxiii) The Pennsylvania College of Technology.(xxiv) The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.(xxv) The Pennsylvania American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations.(xxvi) The Manufacturers' Association.(xxvii) The National Federation of Independent Business Pennsylvania.(xxviii) The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.(xxix) The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania.(xxx) The Service Employees International Union Pennsylvania State Council.(xxxi) The ARC of Pennsylvania.(xxxii) The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Pennsylvania State Conference.(xxxiii) The Spanish American Civic Association.(xxxiv) The State Librarian.(8) Any members added by the commission under subsection (d).(d) The commission may add additional membership to the subcommittee and create subgroups within the subcommittee.(e) Members may not receive compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for necessary travel and other reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their duties as members of the commission.(f) The following shall apply to meetings: (1) The commission shall hold its first meeting by February 17, 2023, and shall meet no less than quarterly.(2) The subcommittee shall hold its first meeting by March 6, 2023, and shall hold monthly meetings.(g) The commission and subcommittee may utilize the expertise of a nonprofit entity that has experience in the creation of long-term education planning efforts. The Department of Education, Department of Labor and Industry and Department of Community and Economic Development shall pay equal shares of the costs associated with this subsection at the request of the commission from money appropriated for general government operations.(h) The General Assembly, Department of Education, Department of Labor and Industry and Department of Community and Economic Development shall provide administrative support, meeting space and any other assistance required by the commission to carry out its duties under this section.(i) The Department of Education, Department of Labor and Industry and the Department of Community and Economic Development and any other Commonwealth agency shall provide the commission with data, research and other information upon request.(j) The following shall apply to duties: (1) The subcommittee shall hold monthly meetings to make recommendations regarding long-term educational goals for the following: (i) Early childhood education and necessary supports.(ii) An aligned instructional system with special attention to curriculum, assessment, pedagogical approach and standards that span early childhood education through career and technical education and higher education.(iii) Education environments that are conducive for each student to learn, including school infrastructure.(iv) Equitable access to education and educational resources to ensure that students with unique needs are successful.(v) A holistic approach to education that includes a focus on development of well-rounded individuals through research based competencies and dispositions associated with postsecondary education, career and life-readiness.(vi) Professional work environments for educators, support staff and school employees in kindergarten through grade twelve schools.(vii) Creation of a leadership development system for kindergarten through grade twelve schools.(viii) Recruitment and attainment of high-performing educators.(ix) Community partnerships in the education system.(x) Meeting the employment needs of this Commonwealth.(xi) Creation of a system that effectively re-tools displaced workers.(xii) Addressing the impact of this Commonwealth's changing demographics.(xiii) Effective governance and accountability.(2) The subcommittee shall hold a series of hearings throughout this Commonwealth to gather feedback on stated topics from representatives of this Commonwealth's major industries, including agriculture, health care, banking, steel, industrial machinery and publishing.(3) The subcommittee shall make regular reports to the commission and issue a final report with legislative recommendations within twelve (12) months of the subcommittee's creation.(4) The subcommittee shall include in its report under paragraph (3) recommendations on parent and community participation in the education system and the challenges and opportunities Pennsylvania's changing demographics present to the Commonwealth's education system.(5) Upon receipt of the report from the subcommittee, the Commission shall seek public comment on the proposed long-term vision for a period that is no less than three (3) months and issue a final report with legislative recommendations to the General Assembly by November 1, 2025.(6) Upon the issuance of the final report under paragraph (5), the commission and the subcommittee shall terminate and the utilization of the expertise of a nonprofit entity under subsection (g) shall terminate.(7) Upon the start of the first legislative session of each decade, the commission and subcommittee shall be reconstituted in accordance with this section and shall perform the requirements of this section.(k) As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Commission." The Commission on Education and Economic Competitiveness.
"Subcommittee." The Subcommittee on Education Planning.
Amended by P.L. (number not assigned at time of publication) 2023 No. 35,§ 3, eff. 12/13/2023.Added by P.L. TBD 2022 No. 55, § 4, eff. 7/8/2022.