Schools react to optional year law
By Taylor Brown
tbrown@yourmvi.com
A new state law will give parents an opportunity to decide if their children should advance to the next grade level or be held back a year due to learning disruptions created during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The additional optional year of education was provided in Act 66, which was signed into law by Gov. Wolf last week.
The option will only apply to the 2021-22 school year to help manage learning losses due to the pandemic.
Parents, guardians and students who are 18 or older have until July 15 to elect to repeat a grade level.
Additionally, the new law will permit students with disabilities who were enrolled during the 2020-21 school year and who turned recently turned 21 to attend a school entity during the 2021-22 school year and receive services as outlined on their most recent Individualized Education Program with all the protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
The law applies to students enrolled in any school district, intermediate unit, career and technical education center, charter school, cyber charter school, regional charter school, nonpublic school, approved private schools and chartered schools for the deaf and blind.
Parents, guardians or students who want to pursue the additional optional year of education for their children or themselves must complete and return a standardized form directly to their school district by July 15 to ensure districts have enough to plan for changes in class sizes for the upcoming school year.
While the new law will offer a needed opportunity for families of children who may have fallen behind due to changing learning climates last year, it could create financial and staffing problems for districts who have already adopted their budgets.
Belle Vernon Area Superintendent Dr. Michele Dowell said while the district knew the law was being considered, administrators were unsure if it would pass.
“This will financially impact us, for sure,” Dowell said. “We knew there were discussions about this, but weren’t sure if it would pass. It would have been nice if this decision was made before July when our budgets are already done and approved. So finding out in July will make things difficult financially.”
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