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HB 2602

An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in pupils and attendance, further providing for attendance policy at charter, regional charter and cyber charter schools; in charter schools, further providing for cyber charter school requirements and prohibitions and for enrollee wellness checks and providing for child protection and support plan; and imposing penalties.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Aerion Abney and 34 co-sponsors

Strengthens attendance tracking, safety, and wellness requirements for charter, regional charter, and cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania, with penalties for noncompliance.

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Bill Summary · HB 2602

Summary of HB 2602 (Session 2025-2026, Pennsylvania)

Main purpose and intent

HB 2602 proposes amendments to the Public School Code of 1949 to strengthen attendance and safety-related requirements for charter schools, regional charter schools, and cyber charter schools. The bill focuses on attendance policy specifics, cyber charter school operations, enrollee wellness checks, and statewide child protection and support planning, while also establishing penalties for noncompliance.

Key provisions and changes

  • Attendance policy at charter, regional charter, and cyber charter schools

    • Adds or tightens requirements for how attendance is recorded, monitored, and enforced in charter schools, including cyber charter settings.
    • Aims to standardize attendance expectations across charter-type schools and ensure consistent accountability.

  • Cyber charter school requirements and prohibitions

    • Details specific rules governing cyber charter schools, including what they may and may not do in terms of operations, oversight, and student attendance tracking.
    • Addresses operational safeguards to ensure comparable accountability with other charter and traditional public schools.

  • Enrollee wellness checks

    • Introduces requirements for periodic wellness checks of students enrolled in charter, regional charter, and cyber charter schools.
    • Wellness checks are intended to monitor student health and well-being, with potential implications for enrollment, reporting, and coordination with health services.

  • Child protection and support plan

    • Establishes or strengthens a state-level framework for child protection and support planning related to students in charter settings.
    • May involve coordination among schools, families, and child welfare or social services to ensure student safety and well-being.

  • Penalties

    • Imposes penalties for violations of the amended attendance, cyber charter, wellness, or child protection provisions.
    • Penalty details (types, scales, and enforcement mechanisms) are not specified in the provided summary, but the bill includes enforcement consequences for noncompliance.

Who would be affected

  • Primary beneficiaries/affected entities

    • Charter schools, regional charter schools, and cyber charter schools operating in Pennsylvania.
    • Enrollees (students) at these charter schools, as well as their families.
    • School administrators and governing boards responsible for attendance, cyber charter oversight, student wellness, and compliance with protection and support planning.

  • Related stakeholders

    • Pennsylvania Department of Education (and relevant state agencies) responsible for implementing attendance policies, cyber charter regulations, wellness reporting, and child protection coordination.
    • Local education agencies that interact with charter schools on attendance and student services.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status in the 2025-2026 session

    • As of the latest available action, HB 2602 has been referred to the Education Committee (action date June 4, 2026). This indicates the bill is in the early stages of the legislative process and has yet to be scheduled for floor votes or further committee hearings.

  • Implementation considerations

    • If enacted, the provisions would require charter-related policy updates, development or revision of wellness assessment procedures, and alignment with any broader child protection and support planning frameworks.
    • Administrative timelines would depend on the bill’s final language, effective dates, and any phased approach included in the act.

Notes and context

  • The bill’s formal title references amending multiple sections of the Public School Code of 1949 to address attendance at charter and cyber charter schools, strengthen cyber charter requirements, and formalize wellness and child protection measures, including penalties for violations.
  • The sponsor list includes a broad slate of representatives, with several co-sponsors, signaling potential bipartisan interest in charter school accountability and student safety provisions.

If you’d like, I can extract specific sections from the bill text (once available) to provide detail on exact language, penalty structures, and any defined timelines or effective dates.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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