Basic Education Circulars (BECs)

Official Public School File

24 P.S. §10-1006

Date of Issue: July 1, 2025
Replaces: Official Public School File, BEC 24 P.S. §10-1006, issued July 1, 2020

Section 1 – EdNA Configuration Changes (Public LEA/Schools)

Responsibility for maintenance of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) official public-school application lies primarily with the PDE Office of Data Quality (ODQ). This application serves all offices within PDE to provide information necessary for administration of educational programs requiring school level data. Education Names and Addresses (commonly referred to as EdNA) is an application that provides up-to-date names, addresses, and other types of contact information for educational entities in Pennsylvania. EdNA is open to the public. The data stored in EdNA is connected to many other PDE systems/applications that (generally) retrieve data from EdNA when needed.

The file undergoes continuous updating. Therefore, as changes occur in specific school level information, the Chief School Administrator should report those changes to the school district’s EdNA Updater to facilitate the change in EdNA to maintain the most accurate information. Additionally, each summer the School Services Office transmits, via Ed Adventure, to each Chief School Administrator, a reminder to review current information contained in EdNA and submit updates to reflect the status at the beginning of the upcoming school year. Included in this annual revision, the file incorporates new schools, closures, and other changes at any time when the chief school administrator provides the necessary information.

This file serves all offices throughout PDE. All changes, whether made during the year or as part of the annual summer update, require notification either through the EdNAv2 Online Portal or written documentation accompanied by the signature of the Chief School Administrator sent to the respective Program Office. Depending on your LEA type, you may be required to submit changes through the Future Ready Comprehensive Planning Portal (FRCPP).

The EdNAv2 Online system provides an interface that enables public school entities to update their school information online.

Some changes are automatic, while others will update pending approval by a PDE administrator; documentation may be required by PDE prior to approving a change.

EdNAv2 Online is available through the MyPDESuite Web Portal. Please contact your Local Security Administrator to get permission.

The following public-school entities have access to EdNAv2 Online:

1: School Districts
2: Intermediate Units
3: Career and Technical Centers
4: Charter Schools
5: State Owned
6: Special Program Jointures
7: State Juvenile Correctional Institutions
8: State Adult Correctional Institutions

The following table outlines the changes that are permitted in EdNAv2 Online - by school entity.

LEA Category	Description	Automatic Approval	Required Documentation
1,2,5,6,7,8	Official Name	NO	Board Minutes and a letter from Chief School Administrator of public-school entity or Affirmation Statement of Official Name Change.
1,2,5,6,7,8	Phone #	YES	Not Required
1,2,5,6,7,8	Fax #	YES	Not Required
1,2,5,6,7,8	Web URL	YES	Not Required
1,2,5,6,7,8	Magnet School	NO	Not Required
1,2,5,6,7,8	Mailing Address	NO	Board Minutes
1,2,5,6,7,8	Location Address	NO	Board Minutes
1,2,5,6,7,8	Geo-Spatial Coordinates	NO	Not Required
1,2,5,6,7,8	Grades Offered	NO	Affirmation Statement of Grade Configuration in FRCPP.
1,2,5,6,7,8	Admin (not commissioned) information	NO	Not Required. Exceptions: substitute superintendent; assistant superintendent; executive director; assistant executive director.
5,6,7,8	Chief Administrator	NO	Board Minutes and a letter from Chief School Administrator of the public school entity.
1,2,3,4	Chief Administrator / commissioned admin Information	NO	Application for commission and Board Affirmation. (Substitutes: Board Affirmation. Acting: Board Affirmation) All forms must be submitted in FRCPP.
1,2,3,4	Emergency Information of an administrator	YES	Not Required
3	Official Name	NO	Affirmation Statement of Official Name Change.
3	Phone #	YES	Not Required
3	Fax #	YES	Not Required
3	Web URL	YES	Not Required
3	Magnet School	NO	Not Required
3	Mailing Address	NO	Board Minutes
3	Location Address	NO	Board Minutes
3	Geo-Spatial Coordinates	NO	Not Required
3	Grades Offered	NO	Affirmation Statement of Grade Configuration.
3	Articles of Agreement	NO	Not Required
3	Programs Offered	NO	Not Required
3	Schedule	NO	Not Required
3	Rotations	NO	Not Required
3	Program Sequence	NO	Not Required
3	Admin of Record	NO	Not Required
3	Admin (not commissioned) information	NO	Not Required
4	Official Name	NO	Affirmation Statement of Official Name Change.
4	Phone #	YES	Not Required
4	Fax #	YES	Not Required
4	Web URL	YES	Not Required
4	Magnet School	NO	Not Required
4	Mailing Address	NO	Board Minutes
4	Location Address	NO	Board Minutes
4	Geo-Spatial Coordinates	NO	Not Required
4	Grades Offered	NO	Not Required
4	Admin (not commissioned) information	NO	Board Affirmation submitted in FRCPP.

The dates for the annual summer update begin on or around June 15 and end on the last business day of July. All annual updates must be submitted during this time period to be approved for the following school year. School Reconfiguration Changes must be entered through FRCPP and are processed to EdNA and PIMS by August 15^th annually.

Documentation may also be scanned and emailed to the EdNA Administration Team at RA-EdNA-Admin@pa.gov.

Section 2 – Career and Technical Education Schools

Responsibility for maintenance of the official public-school computer file’s information regarding each career and technical school lies primarily with the Bureau of Career and Technical Education (BCTE). This file serves all offices within PDE to provide information necessary for administration of educational programs. In addition to school data, it identifies each area career and technical school’s Chief School Administrator of record.

The file undergoes continuous updating. Therefore, as changes occur in specific school level information, the Chief School Administrator should report those changes in the FRCPP on the Administrator Changes page of the LEA’s current School Reconfiguration Plan. Additionally, each summer BCTE surveys career and technical schools for verification of information currently recorded and updating to reflect status at the beginning of the upcoming school year. Besides this annual revision, the file incorporates other changes at any time when the career and technical school provides the necessary information.

Because this file serves all offices throughout PDE, all changes, whether made during the year or as part of the annual summer update, require written notification to BCTE.

Section 3 – Commissioned Officers

24 P.S. § 10-1078 states that a School District (SD) Superintendent and Assistant SD Superintendents shall be commissioned by the Secretary of Education. Section 9-913-A states that an Executive Director and Assistant Executive Directors of Intermediate Units (IUs) shall be commissioned by the Secretary of Education. A commission shall be issued to include name, SD or IU, and term of office.

Commissions

A commission will be issued under the following circumstances:

The election or appointment of a properly qualified person;
The re-election or reappointment of a properly qualified person; and
The extension of an incumbent Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent’s term.

A Superintendent term may be for a period of three to five years. An Assistant Superintendent term may be through the end of the term of the Superintendent or from a period of three to five years. A Superintendent of a first-class school district may be appointed for a term up to six years.

IU Executive Director and Assistant IU Executive Director terms are for a four-year period.

Vacancy

Election of a Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent or appointment of an IU Executive Director or Assistant IU Executive Director may take place when a new position is established or a vacancy exists. A resignation, dismissal, retirement, or death of the incumbent creates a vacancy.

Re-election or Re-appointment

For Superintendents or Assistant Superintendents, re-elections may be held in the last calendar year of the incumbent's term. In this situation, the board of school directors votes to retain the incumbent Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent for a further term of three to five years.

At least 90 days prior to the termination date of the incumbent’s commission, the board must notify the incumbent of its intention to consider other candidates for the Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent position or re-elect the incumbent for a term of three to five years. If the board fails to take such action, the term of the incumbent shall be extended for a period of one year, after which it terminates unless the board acts before the one-year period has ended to retain the incumbent for a further term of three to five years.

For an incumbent IU Executive Director or Assistant IU Executive Director, an IU board may re-appoint the IU Executive Director or Assistant IU Executive Director for an additional four-year term sometime prior to the end of the original four-year term.

Extension

The board of school directors may extend the Superintendent’s or Assistant Superintendent’s term. An extension may not allow the original term to exceed five years. Example: If a Superintendent’s term is valid from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2023, an extension would allow the term to be extended through June 30, 2025. In effect, the term is extended from a three-year term to a five-year term.

Procedures

Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, IU Executive Director, or Assistant IU Executive Director (New or Renewal)

When a board of school directors elects a Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent or an IU board of directors appoints an IU Executive Director or Assistant IU Executive Director, the LEA shall promptly submit the following information in the Future Ready Comprehensive Planning Portal (FRCPP) on the Administrator Changes page of the LEA’s current School Reconfiguration Plan:

Completed PDE 5529 Application for Commission
Evidence of a vacancy if the previous officer's term has not expired (Board Affirmation)

If an applicant would like to have the Secretary of Education administer the Oath of Office, please send a request with a copy of the PDE 5529 Application for Commission to PDE at RA-EDFRCPP@pa.gov. Once the application is checked, the Secretary’s Office will contact the applicant to schedule an appointment.

In the case of the renewal of a Superintendent where the board fails to act 90 days or more before the end of a Superintendent’s term, the board shall note the automatic one-year extension in its next meeting and promptly submit the board affirmation to PDE in the FRCPP on the Administrator Changes page of the LEA’s current School Reconfiguration Plan.

Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent (Extension)

A board of school directors may extend a Superintendent's or Assistant Superintendent’s term for one or two years so the original term will extend to a five-year period.

When this occurs, the board must promptly submit the following information to PDE in the FRCPP on the Administrator Changes page of the LEA’s current School Reconfiguration Plan:

Evidence that a majority of the board voted in the affirmative for the extension of the term of this candidate (Board Affirmation)

PDE then will issue a new commission, showing the term approved by the board.

Commissions Not Issued

24 P.S. § 10-1079 allows a board of school directors to fill a vacancy with an Acting Superintendent or Acting Assistant Superintendent. In the case of a commissioned officer on leave, the board may appoint a substitute to fill the position for the period of the leave or completion of the term of the commission. A commission will not be issued in any of these circumstances.

Acting Superintendent, Acting Assistant Superintendent, Acting Executive Director, or Acting Assistant Executive Director

When a board appoints an Acting position, the board shall notify PDE by promptly submitting the following information in the FRCPP on the Administrator Changes page of the LEA’s current School Reconfiguration Plan:

Evidence that a majority of the board voted in the affirmative for this candidate. (Board Affirmation)
Evidence of a vacancy if the previous officer's term has not expired (Board Affirmation)

The appointment may not extend beyond one calendar year by which time the district shall have filled the position.

Substitute Superintendent or Substitute Assistant Superintendent

When a board of school directors appoints a substitute Superintendent or substitute Assistant Superintendent, the board shall notify PDE by promptly submitting the following information in the FRCPP on the Administrator Changes page of the LEA’s current School Reconfiguration Plan :

Evidence that a majority of the board voted in the affirmative for this candidate. (Board Affirmation)
Evidence of leave approved by the board (Board Affirmation).

A substitute must hold a Letter of Eligibility or Commissions Qualification Letter and may serve up to the end of the Superintendent’s or Assistant Superintendent’s approved leave or completion of the term of the commission.

Updating the Official School File

The SD or IU is responsible for maintaining the Official School File as established on the PDE website. This file is known as Education Names and Addresses (EdNA).

Administrator Changes submitted through the School Reconfiguration plan in FRCPP will be updated in EdNAv2 by PDE once approved. LEAs will not need to submit a Change Request in EdNAV2 for these items. If you need to update the address, phone number, email address or administrator(s) of a school, log into My PDE Suite to access Education Names and Addresses (EdNAv2) and submit a change request. The entry will show as “Submitted” until the information listed above is approved by PDE.

Section 4 – Charter Schools

Responsibility for maintenance of the official public-school computer file’s information regarding each Charter School lies primarily with the Division of Charter Schools. This file serves all offices within PDE to provide information necessary for administration of educational programs. In addition to school data, it identifies each Charter School’s administrator of record.

The file undergoes continuous updating. Therefore, as changes occur in specific school level information, the changes must be submitted in the FRCPP on the Administrator Changes page of the LEA’s current School Reconfiguration Plan. Additionally, each summer this division surveys Charter Schools for verification of information currently recorded and updated to reflect status at the beginning of the upcoming school year. Besides this annual revision, the file incorporates other changes at any time when the Charter School provides the necessary information.

Because this file serves all offices throughout PDE, all changes, whether made during the year or as part of the annual summer update, require written notification to the Division of Charter Schools.

Documentation should be scanned and submitted via FRCPP. Questions can be directed to RA-charterschools@pa.gov.

Required Documentation for Brick and Mortar Charter Schools to make changes in EdNA

Legend:

CS = Charter Schools
SD = School District
* = Considered a material change in the charter approval by the authorizer
X = Required

	Revised Articles of Incorporation	CS Board approved Affirmation Statement reflecting the CS Board motion and resolution	Request to amend delineating the purpose of/reason for change	SD Board approved Affirmation Statement reflecting the SD Board motion and resolution
School Name	X	X	X	X
Administrative Office Relocation		X	X	X
School Relocation		X	X	X
Facilities Expansion/Reduction		X	X	X
Grade Level Expansion		X	X	X
Student Population Reprioritization*		X	X	X
Curriculum Framework Redesign		X	X	X
Chief Administrator		X	X
Phone Number			X
Web Address			X
Status (open/closed)		X	X	X
Mailing Address		X	X
Grade Years		X	X

Section 5 – Cyber Charter Schools

Responsibility for maintenance of the official public-school computer file’s information regarding each Cyber Charter School lies primarily with the Division of Charter Schools. This file serves all offices within PDE to provide information necessary for administration of educational programs. In addition to school data, it identifies each Cyber Charter School’s administrator of record.

The file undergoes continuous updating. Therefore, as changes occur in specific school-level information, the changes must be submitted in the FRCPP on the Administrator Changes page of the LEA’s current School Reconfiguration Plan. Additionally, each summer this division surveys Cyber Charter Schools for verification of information currently recorded and updated to reflect status at the beginning of the upcoming school year. Besides this annual revision, the file incorporates other changes at any time when the Cyber Charter School provides the necessary information.

Documentation should be scanned and submitted via FRCPP. Questions can be directed to RA-charterschools@pa.gov.

Required Documentation for Cyber Charter Schools to make changes in EdNA

Legend:

CS = Charter Schools
SD = School District
* = Considered a material change in the charter approval by the authorizer
X = Required
CEO = Chief Executive Officer

	Revised Articles of Incorporation	CS Board approved Affirmation Statement reflecting the CS Board motion and resolution	Executed Lease/Purchase Agreement	Request to amend delineating the purpose of/reason for change	Verification of Ethics Compliance signed by CS Board and CEO OR Board-appointed negotiator
School Name	X*	X*		X*
Administrative Office Relocation		X*	X*	X*	X*
School Relocation		X*	X*	X*	X*
Facilities Expansion/Reduction		X*	X*	X*	X* (expansion only)
Grade Level Expansion		X*		X*
Student Population Reprioritization*		X*		X*
Curriculum Framework Redesign		X*		X*
Chief Administrator		X		X
Phone Number				X
Web Address				X
Status (open/closed)		X		X
Mailing Address		X		X
Grade Years		X		X

REFERENCES:

Purdon’s Statute

24 P.S. §10-1006

24 P.S. §10-1079

24 P.S. §18-1850.1(b)(5)

24 P.S. §17-1732-A(c)(2)

24 P.S. §17-1749-A(b)(8)

Other

Certification Staffing Assignment, Superintendent K-12, CSPG No. 96