PSEA - PA State Education Association

06/08/2026

H.R. 1, the budget reconciliation bill passed last summer, made a number of alterations to federal student aid and student loan administration. Many of those changes will take effect on July 1, 2026.

PSEA members are invited to join NEA on Tuesday, June 16 at 7 p.m. for a student debt webinar to learn how to navigate these changes and how to stay on track to receive Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Register at https://bit.ly/43MF9Xe.

Join our webinar on June 16 to learn the latest updates from our student debt experts.

06/05/2026

This week kicked off June Lobby Days, where members involved in PSEA’s Advocates for Children and Education (ACE) program travel to Harrisburg to lobby their state legislators on pro-public education issues.

Members shared firsthand stories about school funding, student cellphone use in school, and the need to secure a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for pre-Act 9 retirees. Some even witnessed the state House Education Committee advance House Bill 1919, legislation that would provide protections for school employees injured due to student behavior.

Here’s what a few of our ACE members had to say about their experience. 👇

06/04/2026

PSEA President Aaron Chapin joined leaders from Children First PA and the Pennsylvania Association of Public Cyber Charter Schools on Tuesday's “The PCN Capitol Preview” to discuss education funding.

"For the last two years, we've seen legislators and the governor step up and provide these resources that are long overdue. We've had decades where our students just have not been receiving the funding they need. If we provide our schools, our educators, and our support staff with the money that they really need to educate our students, we would see even greater, amazing results."

📺 Watch the full episode online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NbEYHLH8KI&t=858s.

06/03/2026

"Public school teachers who are assaulted or injured at work by a student or parent would be eligible for up to a year of paid leave to recover under legislation now up for consideration in the state House.

The bill, introduced by Reps. Thomas Mehaffie (R-Dauphin) and Paul Friel (D-Chester), would also require school districts to continue providing health insurance and other benefits, while employees would continue to accrue service time toward their pension.

It passed with a bipartisan 20-6 vote Tuesday in the House Education Committee and now goes to the full chamber for consideration."

The bill would also require school districts to continue providing health insurance and other benefits for teachers injured by a student or parent.

06/02/2026

The Pennsylvania House Education Committee voted today to approve House Bill 1919, legislation that will create stronger protections for educators and support professionals who are unable to perform their job duties because of an injury stemming from student behavior.

The legislation allows school employees who sustain an injury as a result of student behavior — or in less frequent cases, the behavior of parents or guardians — to take the time they need to recover without losing pay or benefits, including the accrual of service credit for retirement.

Read PSEA's full statement at www.psea.org/injuryleavepasseshouse.

06/02/2026

"Rep. Mandy Steele (D-Allegheny), who sponsored the bill in the House, said a cellphone ban would change the entire educational experience for Pennsylvania students.

'It will be a world where kids are talking and playing and making eye contact and focused on their work. It’ll be a return to normal childhood,' Steele said. 'We know from the medical community that the white matter in children’s brains is not growing normally.'

Steele’s bill would allow exceptions for students who have a cellphone as part of their individualized education program or 504 service agreement, use a cellphone for translation or have permission from a teacher to use it as an educational instrument for a limited duration.

More than 30 states have implemented cellphone restrictions in schools. The Pennsylvania State Education Association, the union representing educators and support staff in the state, has championed efforts to add Pennsylvania to the growing list."

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — A cellphone ban in Pennsylvania schools looks more likely next year. On Monday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a bill banning cellphones in all K-12…

06/01/2026

Today, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed House Bill 1814, bipartisan legislation that would establish a consistent, statewide expectation that all Pennsylvania schools must restrict possession and prohibit student use of mobile devices during the school day.

Read PSEA’s full statement at www.psea.org/devicerestrictionpasseshouse.

06/01/2026

PSEA proudly celebrates our LGBTQIA+ educators and support professionals who help make our schools safe, welcoming, and inclusive spaces for all students. This month and every month, we support you and honor the diversity that strengthens our schools and communities. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

05/30/2026

"Supported by funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Accelerated Program for PK-12 Special Education Teacher Certification grant, ASPIRE eliminates tuition costs for participants. In addition to 100% tuition coverage, participants receive an $8,000 living stipend and opportunities to earn income while completing the program.

'Through ASPIRE, we are creating a pathway that accelerates certification without sacrificing quality — allowing educators to earn as they learn while receiving the specialized preparation needed to support students,' said Dr. Rebecca West Burns, dean of the College of Education.

The 27-credit graduate program combines flexible online coursework with an embedded special education internship. Rather than requiring a traditional, unpaid student teaching semester, the program fulfills certification requirements by integrating supervised clinical experiences and paid district-based work throughout the 15-month program."

The new initiative, ASPIRE (Accelerated Special Education Program for In-Service Resident Educators), enables certified teachers and recent graduates who have passed student teaching to earn their PK-12 special education add-on certification in just 15 months.

05/29/2026

For Tim Cammisa, a sixth grade teacher at Haine Middle School in the Seneca Valley School District, fly-fishing has been a lifelong passion. It’s one he spent years keeping separate from his classroom, until an administrator made him an offer he couldn’t refuse: leading one of the school's most popular clubs.

“Fly-fishing club has been the most popular. We get just an enormous amount of students who want to join... Anytime you have an opportunity to bring a group of students outside, into nature, to share something that you love yourself, you know great things are going to happen."

Read Tim's full story in the May 2026 issue of PSEA's Voice magazine or at https://bit.ly/4vb1EAG.