24 Pa. Stat. § 2-290

Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-111
Section 2-290 - Purpose; construction of subdivision

The purpose of this subdivision is to provide a flexible framework and effective and orderly means whereby the administrative units of the Commonwealth's public school system can be expeditiously reorganized. While deeply impressed with the continuous dedicated responsibility exercised over the last century by the citizenry through their local boards of school directors, the General Assembly must also be cognizant of the responsibility placed upon it by Article X,section 1 of the Constitution of Pennsylvania which requires in part, that "The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public schools, wherein all the children of the Commonwealth above the age of six years may be educated . . .." As the evidence demonstrates beyond reasonable dispute that the present administrative system of more than two thousand (2,000) school districts is incapable of providing adequate education and appropriate training for all of the children of the Commonwealth above the age of six, the General Assembly hereby renews its dedication to its responsibility of providing a thorough and efficient system of public schools within the Commonwealth. It is hereby declared to be the purpose and intention of the General Assembly to establish the procedures and provide for the standards and criteria under which school directors and district administrators and county boards of school directors and county administrators shall have the power and bear the duty of determining the appropriate administrative units to be created in each county to carry out the responsibilities shared by them and the General Assembly, of educating and training each child within his capacity to the extent demanded by the immediate requirements of growth and strengthening of this Commonwealth and nation. Only where such local officials fail to act, or act arbitrarily outside of the standards and criteria provided for in the sections following, shall the Commonwealth through its duly authorized agencies and officials act to insure compliance with law within the powers set forth below and as restricted therein. The improvements in the educational system hereby obtained are not to be construed as a final resolution of organizational problems. Local school officials as agents of the General Assembly are directed to continually review organizational patterns and adopt without delay all changes which will accelerate the progress of public education. It is further declared to be the purpose and intention of the General Assembly that the above may be used in construing and arriving at legislative intent with respect to the provisions of this subdivision.

24 P.S. § 2-290

1949, March 10, P.L. 30, art. II, § 290, added 1963, Aug. 8, P.L. 564, § 3.