HB 354 — An Act providing for "What Is Your Pennsylvania Story" guidelines for school entities; and imposing duties on the Department of Education.

SENATE AMENDED PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

308 THEPRINTER'S GENERALNO. ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

3542000 2025THE INTRODUCEDGENERAL BYASSEMBLY SOLOMON,OF GLEIM,PENNSYLVANIA SANCHEZ,HOUSE GREINER,BILL HILL-EVANS,Session BURGOS,of KENYATTA,No. CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, HADDOCK, MARCELL, KHAN, MALAGARI, DONAHUE, STEELE AND GREEN, JANUARY 27, 2025 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 27, 2025 AN ACT Proschool entities;

and354 imposing2025 dutiesINTBURGOS, onKENYATTA, theCEPEDA-FREYTIZ, DepartmentHADDOCK, oforMARCELL, Education.KHAN, MALAGARI, DONAHUE, STEELE, GREEN, BENNINGHOFF, K.HARRIS AND WEBSTER, JANUARY 27, 2025 SENATOR CULVER, EDUCATION, IN SENATE, AS AMENDED, JUNE 24, 2025 AN ACT Providing for "What Is Your Pennsylvania Story" guidelines for <-- school entities;

and imposing duties on the Department of Education.

PROVIDING FOR "WHAT IS YOUR PENNSYLVANIA STORY" GUIDELINES FOR <-- SCHOOL ENTITIES;

AND IMPOSING DUTIES ON THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

<-- This act shall be known and may be cited as the "What Is Your Pennsylvania Story" Act.

20250HB0354PN2000 - 2 - (c) Purpose.--The guidelines shall:

(1) Enhance the ability of students to interact effectively with one another as students in each county of 20250HB0354PN0308 - 2 - this Commonwealth with unique backgrounds united by one nation.

(1) Materials that educate students by introducing the students to various cultures through the stories that students relay about who the students are and how their families weave into the Pennsylvania and United States 20250HB0354PN2000 - 3 - experience.

(2) Teaching aids that allow students to explore cultures through food, art, books, movies, dance, traditions 20250HB0354PN0308 - 3 - and cross-cultural experiences.

20250HB0354PN0308SECTION -1. 4 -

SHORT TITLE.

<-- THIS ACT SHALL BE KNOWN AND MAY BE CITED AS THE "WHAT IS YOUR PENNSYLVANIA STORY" ACT.

SECTION 2.

DEFINITIONS.

THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES WHEN USED IN THIS ACT SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SECTION UNLESS THE CONTEXT CLEARLY INDICATES OTHERWISE:

"DEPARTMENT." THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OF THE COMMONWEALTH.

20250HB0354PN2000 - 4 - "SCHOOL ENTITY." A SCHOOL DISTRICT, INTERMEDIATE UNIT, AREA CAREER AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL, CHARTER SCHOOL, CYBER CHARTER SCHOOL OR REGIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL.

"SOCIAL STUDIES." AS DEFINED IN 22 PA.

CODE § 4.12(A)(3) (RELATING TO ACADEMIC STANDARDS).

"WHAT IS YOUR PENNSYLVANIA STORY." THE CELEBRATION OF THE UNIQUE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF A STUDENT AND THE STUDENT'S FAMILY LIVING IN THIS COMMONWEALTH.

SECTION 3.

PURPOSE.

(A) PURPOSE.--IN ANTICIPATION OF AMERICA CELEBRATING 250 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE IT IS A GOOD OCCASION TO REFLECT ON OUR NATION'S PAST, HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALL AMERICANS AND LOOK AHEAD TO THE FUTURE.

PENNSYLVANIA PLAYED A UNIQUE ROLE IN THE FORMATION OF THE NATION AND THAT ROLE SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED IN COORDINATION WITH STUDENT'S EXPERIENCES IN WHAT UNITES US AS PENNSYLVANIANS.

(B) STUDENT OBJECTIVES.--STUDENTS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED:

(1) TO INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER AS STUDENTS WITH UNIQUE BACKGROUNDS UNITED BY ONE NATION AND SHARE THEIR "WHAT IS YOUR PENNSYLVANIA STORY".

(2) TO DEVELOP A HISTORICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIQUE HERITAGE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS IN THIS COMMONWEALTH INCLUDING THE VOYAGE OF WILLIAM PENN TO PENNSYLVANIA, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND ITS HISTORY SINCE 1776.

(C) MATERIALS.--THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO SCHOOL ENTITIES MATERIALS WHICH A SCHOOL ENTITY MAY INCORPORATE INTO SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTION.

A SCHOOL ENTITY MAY NOT USE THE MATERIALS IN A MANNER THAT IMPACTS ANY CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS.

THE MATERIALS MAY INCLUDE:

20250HB0354PN2000 - 5 - (1) RESOURCES THAT EDUCATE STUDENTS BY INTRODUCING THE STUDENTS TO VARIOUS CULTURES THROUGH THE STORIES THAT STUDENTS RELAY ABOUT WHO THE STUDENTS ARE AND HOW THEIR FAMILIES WEAVE INTO THE PENNSYLVANIA AND UNITED STATES EXPERIENCE.

(2) TEACHING AIDS THAT ALLOW STUDENTS TO EXPLORE CULTURES THROUGH FOOD, ART, BOOKS, MOVIES, DANCE, TRADITIONS AND EXPERIENCES.

(3) EDUCATIONAL AIDS THAT PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH INFORMATION ON THE HISTORICAL EXPERIENCES OF THE INHABITANTS OF THIS COMMONWEALTH, INCLUDING THEIR EXPERIENCES ARRIVING IN THIS COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT OVER THE YEARS.

SECTION 4.

EXPIRATION.

THIS ACT SHALL EXPIRE JUNE 30, 2027.

SECTION 5.