Subcommittee on Higher Education

The 2007-2008 Education Committee dealt with all typical issues that the Education Committee generally deals with. However, they also dealt with some issues specific to the 2007-2008 Session. The Committee held public hearing and informational meetings on the following topics: school administrator and teacher certification and development (House Bills 842 and 847); teacher recruitment (House Bills 919 and 921-24); dual enrollment (House Bill 932); community college funding (House Bill 978); school lunch funding (House Bill 908); "Common Cents" Program (House Bill 1021); technical college programs (House Bill 965); basic and special education funding (House Bills 1046 and 1048); the Governor's accountability block grant (House Bill 1057); cyber charter schools (House Bills 446, 738, 1407 and 1655); agriculture education and careers; higher education affordability (House Bills 108, 1403 and 1722); campus safety and security (House Bill 1129 and House Resolution 232); statewide healthcare for teachers (House Bill 1841); drop-outs (House Bill 2466; and an interstate compact for educational opportunities for military children (House Bills 2518 and 2566). Hearings and meetings were also held regarding proposed State Board of Education regulations on special education for gifted students, academic standards and assessment, vocational education standards, special education services and programs, and charter school and cyber charter school services and programs for children with disabilities.

This collection includes one file from the Subcommittee on Higher Education and no files from the Subcommittee on Basic Education. The Subcommittee on Special Education held hearings on special education programs and services, education of autistic children, special education transitions, the Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP) and special education funding in Pennsylvania.

The 2007-2008 Education Committee records contain extensive material beyond the basic attendance and vote records. All meeting and hearing files include legislation, fairly detailed minutes explaining the proceedings of the meeting and correspondence, when it was sent. If testimony was given, it is also included in the folders (unless noted otherwise in the finding aid). All official public hearing transcripts are available as full text searchable documents through the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Transcript Database.

The regulations, in particular, contain material beyond the regulation: a great deal of correspondence is included and occasionally, background research and reports are included.

The Education Committee in 2007-2008 was chaired by Democrat James Roebuck. Thaddeus Kirkland served as Subcommittee Chair on Basic Education; Lawrence Curry served as Subcommittee Chair on Higher Education; and Barbara McIlvaine Smith service as Subcommittee Chair on Special Education. Patrick Harkins served as the majority secretary. On the Republican side, Jess Stairs served as Minority Chair; Beverly Mackereth served as Minority Subcommittee Chair on Basic Education; Bernard O'Neill served as Minority Subcommittee Chair on Higher Education; and Kathy Rapp served as Minority Subcommittee Chair on Special Education.