This month’s update highlights education developments in Pennsylvania and Washington, opportunities to share your classroom expertise, and a new way to introduce colleagues to KEYTA. As you navigate a busy school year, thank you for the work you do each day and for being part of our professional community.
In this issue:
- Educators Invited to Review State Assessments
- PA School Cell Phone Ban Becomes Law
- PA Lawmakers Advance School AI Bills
- PA Teacher Shortages Persist
- Federal Education Oversight Shifts
- SAVE Borrowers Must Review Repayment Options
Educators Invited to Review State Assessments
The Pennsylvania Department of Education is inviting educators with at least five years of teaching experience to apply to serve on committees reviewing the PSSA, Keystone Exams, Classroom Diagnostic Tools, and Firefly assessments.
Participating educators help evaluate test questions for alignment with academic standards, difficulty, clarity, bias, and grade appropriateness. This opportunity allows teachers to share their classroom expertise and help shape the assessments used in Pennsylvania schools.
Interested members can complete the educator application to be considered for participation.
PA School Cell Phone Ban Becomes Law
Governor Shapiro signed Senate Bill 1014 into law on October 26, establishing a bell-to-bell restriction on student cell phone use, including lunch, recess, and transitions between classes. Schools must implement policies before the 2027–28 school year, with exceptions provided under the law. For educators, the next step will be local decisions about enforcement, parent communication, and implementation.
PA Lawmakers Advance School AI Bills
The House Education Committee advanced several bills addressing artificial intelligence in schools on October 6, including:
- HB 2785: School technology procurement and data privacy safeguards.
- HB 2786: Local AI policies developed with instructional staff input, including limits on AI making final decisions about grading, discipline, IEPs, and personnel matters.
- HB 2788: A grant program for educator professional development on responsible AI use.
These measures have not become law. KEYTA will continue monitoring them because they address classroom practices and protections for students and educators.
PA Teacher Shortages Persist
An August report from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania found that the supply of new teachers is insufficient to meet demand in both rural and urban districts. It also identified increased reliance on emergency permits and higher risks of departure among newly hired teachers and teachers in lower-paying districts.
PDE’s workforce reporting now includes quarterly vacancy data. However, positions filled by certain emergency-permit holders are excluded from those vacancy counts, an important distinction when evaluating staffing needs.
Federal Education Oversight Shifts
In its October 5 annual review, the department reported that more than $3.4 billion in formula and competitive grants flowed through partner agencies under interagency agreements. This is part of the administration’s effort to reorganize federal education functions. The practical issue for schools is tracking which agency administers a program and where to obtain guidance and assistance.
SAVE Borrowers Must Review Repayment Options
Federal Student Aid’s October guidance reminds borrowers leaving the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan to select another eligible repayment plan. Individual deadlines depend on the notice sent by each borrower’s loan servicer.
Members pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) should review their options carefully. Federal Student Aid states that payments under the Tiered Standard Plan do not qualify for PSLF.
Members can review the official SAVE transition guidance for details about available options and next steps.
