Jan. 25, 2021
HARRISBURG – Rep. Valerie Gaydos (R-Allegheny) plans to introduce two bills that would study the impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on student learning and the education system.
“When COVID-19 made its impact on the Commonwealth, our teachers stepped to the plate to offer alternative methods of teaching for their communities, said Gaydos. “As a result, we saw many different approaches to teaching and learning which included going to full remote learning, doing a hybrid of remote and some classroom teaching or a combination of the two. With the many different types of learning our students received during the coronavirus pandemic, we owe it to them to find out what has worked the best.”
House Bill 228 would direct the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study and issue three reports on the academic impact of the virus on the state’s students. The legislation would include the methods of instruction which are most successful. An initial report would be submitted 30 days after the passage of this legislation followed by an interim report submitted six months later and a final report submitted at the end of the year.
House Bill 229 would direct the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study and issue a report on the fiscal impact on schools, including but not limited to the loss of revenue and increased school taxes as a result of COVID-19. The report will be submitted to the majority and the minority chairs of the House and Senate Education committees within six months of the effective date of the bill.
“As we navigate through this unprecedented time, it will be very important to know the effects, both positive and negative, that the federal, state and local responses, mitigation efforts and guidance have had on our students and education system,” said Gaydos.
Both bills have been referred to the House Education Committee for review.
Representative Valerie Gaydos
44th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Rick Leiner
717.260.6437
rleiner@pahousegop.com
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