Section 1201 Certificates Qualifying Person to Teach
Yes. For additional information, please see Updates from the Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality.
Section 1203.1 State Certification Fee Reduction
Experience based certificates cost $0 for the certification and $0 for the discipline fee. This fee applies to the certificate only and does not apply to the program. The updated fee schedule is available at Fees and Forms.
Section 1333 Procedure When Child is Truant
Each public school is responsible for complying with obligations related to compulsory attendance laws for students enrolled in their school, which may include the filing of a truancy citation when a student enrolled in the school becomes habitually truant.
The new law applies only to students transferring to the 14 cyber charter schools authorized by PDE. It does not prohibit students from enrolling in other types of online programs.
No, that is not in statute. To disenroll a student, the cyber charter would need to refer to its applicable polices and discuss with its solicitor.
The provisions within Act 47 that prohibit a student who is habitually truant from transferring to a cyber charter school during the school year unless a judge determines it to be in the best interest of the student would not apply when the student has reached age 18, even if the student accrued more than 6 unexcused absences prior to turning 18.
A student is considered habitually truant only if the student is subject to the compulsory attendance laws and has incurred 6 or more days of unexcused absences during the current school year. Under Section 1326 of the School Code, compulsory school age is defined as the period from when a child enters school (no later than age six) until the child reaches 18 years of age.
When the student turns 18, the compulsory attendance provisions no longer apply. As a result, the student would be permitted to enroll in a cyber charter school during that same school year following standard enrollment practices. As such, the student would not be subject to habitual truancy restrictions, and enrollment in a cyber charter school would not require judicial determination under Act 47.
Because a child who is habitually truant is prohibited from transferring during the school year to a cyber charter school unless a judge determines that the transfer is in the best interest of the child, cyber charter schools should ask any student who presents for enrollment during the school year if the student has 6 or more unexcused absences during that school year. The new Charter School Enrollment Form includes a section for the cyber charter school to verify this information. Additionally, student records sent from the school district to the cyber charter school should reflect the student’s attendance record. Finally, the school district should consult its solicitor.
Yes. The truancy-related transfer provisions in Act 47 of 2025 apply to students transferring from any school to a cyber charter school, including transfers from another cyber charter school. The restriction is not limited to students transferring from brick-and-mortar schools. Accordingly, if a student transferring from another cyber charter school meets the statutory definition of habitual truancy, the transfer during the school year is prohibited unless a judge determines that the transfer is in the best interest of the child.
Section 1333(c.1) of the School Code does not apply to habitually truant students transferring from educational entities outside of Pennsylvania to a cyber charter school during the school year, because Pennsylvania law does not apply to courts in other states or countries.
State law requires approval from a judge when a habitually truant student seeks to transfer to a cyber charter school during a school year. The law does not provide a process for families to seek decision sooner or to challenge the process.
Section 1748-A Cyber Charter Enrollment and Notification
Act 47 of 2025 includes changes to the School Code that impact residency verification requirements for cyber charter schools. Under the updated law, parents with students who attend cyber charter schools are now required to verify student residency with the school district of residence and cyber charter school twice per year: November 1 and March 1. For additional information on residency verification and to view the updated Charter School Enrollment Form, see Cyber Charter Student Residency Verification.
Act 47 of 2025 (Section 41) provides that, “the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in a cyber charter school shall also use the form developed under subsection (b) to submit continued proof of the student's residence to the cyber charter school and the student's school district of residence by November 1 and by March 1 of each school year.”
Because subsection (b) establishes a single, combined form for enrollment information and residency verification, continued proof of residency must be submitted using that same form.
By March 1, 2026, parents/guardians must complete the Charter School Enrollment Form and provide proof of the student's residence to the cyber charter school and the school district. Parents/guardians must submit continued proof of residence to the cyber charter school and the student's school district of residence by November 1 and March 1 of each school year.
The law lists the following as acceptable proof of residency:
- An active residential lease agreement or a mortgage agreement no more than three months old;
- A bank statement no more than three months old;
- A tax bill no more than three months old;
- An insurance document no more than three months old;
- A valid vehicle registration;
- A valid driver’s license or Pennsylvania Department of Transportation identification card; or
- A piece of mail sent by the federal or state government such as benefits information, voter registration, or tax documents.
If, after reviewing the Charter Enrollment Form and proof of residency, a school district determines that a student is not a resident of the school district, the district must, within 10 days of receipt of the Charter School Student Enrollment Notification form, notify both the cyber charter school and the Department of this determination and include the basis for its decision.
At this time, notification to the Department should be sent to ra-charterschools@pa.gov. A new notification process through the Department’s Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) is under development, and submission directions will be shared in the near future.
Upon receipt of the school district’s notification, the cyber charter school shall, within 10 days, review the determination and notify both the school district and the Department whether the cyber charter agrees with the school district’s determination. If the cyber charter school disagrees with the school district’s determination, the cyber charter school must provide documentation establishing the student’s residency.
Within 10 days of receiving the cyber charter school’s response, the school district shall notify the cyber charter school whether it agrees with the cyber charter school’s determination.
If the school district disagrees with the cyber charter school’s determination, the school district shall appeal to the Department for a final determination.
Parents or guardians must submit a completed Charter School Enrollment Form and proof of the student’s residency to both the cyber charter school and the school district by November 1 and March 1 each school year. If the purported district of residence questions the accuracy of the student’s residency, the cyber residency dispute process established under Act 47 may be used.
Act 47 of 2025 provides for a cyber residency dispute process. Per the law, a school district shall continue to make payments to a cyber charter school during the time in which the school district of residence of a student is in dispute. If a final determination is made that a student is not a resident of an appealing school district, the cyber charter school shall return all funds provided on behalf of that student during the period for which the student is not a resident of the school district to the school district within 30 days.