July 12th, 2021

Dear Colleague,

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in Kindergarten (K)-12 Schools. In the guidance, the CDC emphasizes the benefits of in-person instruction, prioritizing a safe return to in-person instruction, and the COVID-19 vaccine, among numerous other important updates.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) are collaboratively reviewing this new content and will provide any needed associated guidance to schools next week. As indicated in previous communications, PDE and the DOH plan to align practices and policies for safely operating schools with guidance from the CDC.

As always, we thank you for your leadership and commitment to students.

Sincerely,

Alison Beam, Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health

Noe Ortega, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education

Noe Ortega | Secretary of Education

Pennsylvania Department of Education | Executive Office

333 Market Street | Harrisburg, PA 17126

717.783.9780 | www.education.pa.gov

twitter.com/PADeptofEd | facebook.com/PADepartmentofEducation

pinterest.com/PADeptOfEd | youtube.com/PADeptOfEd

Dear Colleagues,

On June 30, Governor Tom Wolf signed Act 66 of 2021 (Act 66) into law. Act 66 permits students that were enrolled during the 2020-21 school year to repeat their grade level in an effort to make up for any lost educational opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, even if the student met the requirements to be promoted to the next grade level. Based on this Act, parents/guardians and students, at or over the age of 18, have until July 15, 2021, to elect to have their child or themselves repeat a grade level for the 2021-22 school year.

Additionally, Act 66 permits a student with a disability who was enrolled during the 2020-21 school year and turned age 21 during the 2020-21 school year, or between the end of the 2020-21 and the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, to attend a school entity during the 2021-22 school year and receive services as outlined on their most recent Individualized Education Program (IEP) with all the protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 

As required by Act 66, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) developed and posted online a standard form (link) for parents/guardians to notify school entities of their child’s plan to remain in the school and/or current grade level for the 2021-22 school year. School entities are encouraged to post the Act 66 Student Grade Level Retainment Notification Form on the school entity’s publicly accessible website along with instructions and an email address for parents/guardians to submit the form to the school.

Parents/guardians or students who wish to take advantage of Act 66 must complete, sign, and submit the Act 66 of 2021 Student Grade Level Retainment Notification Form to the student’s district and/or school on or before July 15, 2021.

Please note, students 18 or older who plan to repeat a grade level during the 2021-22 school year must complete and submit their own form. For a student with a disability who turned 21 during the time periods listed above, both the parent/guardian and the student must complete the form. Forms are to be submitted to the district and/or school in which the student will attend in the 2021-22 school year - they may not be submitted to PDE.

Guidance and answers to FAQs on Act 66 of 2021 is now available on PDE’s website. Please note, the form will be made available on PDE’s website beginning Tuesday, July 6, 2021 - the form is attached to this email for reference and posting on your website.

Please send any questions/concerns to the following RA accounts:

• General Questions on Act 66 – ra-edcontinuityofed@pa.gov   
• Special Education Specific Questions - ra-pdespecialed@pa.gov

Sincerely,

Sherri Smith, Ed.D. | Acting Deputy Secretary

Pennsylvania Department of Education | Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

333 Market Street | Harrisburg, PA 17126

717.772.4557 | www.education.pa.gov

twitter.com/PADeptofEd | facebook.com/PADepartmentofEducation

pinterest.com/PADeptOfEd | youtube.com/PADeptOfEd

Hello Troy Trojans,

For summer programming starting this month masking will be optional for all students, faculty & staff.  We will continue with daily monitoring of temperature checks as students arrive into the buildings.  For the start of the 21/22 school year, we are remaining optimistic that masking will be remain optional unless otherwise directed by the state.  I will keep everyone informed regarding this as we get closer to the start of the school year In August.  I hope everyone is having a great summer.

Sincerely,

Hello,

Please read updated information below from the acting Secretary of Education.  I hope everyone is having a great day today.

Thanks,

The message below is being sent on behalf of the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Good afternoon,

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced the statewide masking order will be lifted by June 28, 2021, or when 70 percent of adults get their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, whichever comes first. This is an exciting step in the pandemic response, but we must continue to do our part in the weeks ahead – most importantly by stepping up to get vaccinated. All Pennsylvanians age 12 and older are eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine. People can find vaccination locations near them using Vaccines.gov, also known as Vaccine Finder. To clarify yesterday’s announcement, the current Order of the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health Requiring Universal Face Coverings remains in effect until June 28, 2021, or when 70 percent of adults in Pennsylvania are fully vaccinated. The masking order and requirements therein remain unchanged and are not impacted by the upcoming expiration of the targeted mitigation orders and the school attestation orders on May 31, 2021.

Additionally, we are providing the following information regarding available opportunities to host vaccination clinics: In light of the recent expansion of the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include adolescents 12 through 15 years of age, the Pennsylvania Department of Health wants to increase vaccine access for adolescents. Our understanding is that many IUs, districts, and schools have independently partnered with providers across the state to host school-based clinics. We commend these types of clinics, and encourage any school/district that is interested in hosting vaccination clinics (even if over the summer) to  complete the Community Clinic Partnership Form online. This form is used to match organizations willing to host a clinic with an enrolled vaccine provider who can bring clinical staff and vaccine supply. These providers have been hosting clinics at churches, community centers, and offices for several weeks. Submissions are evaluated on a rolling basis and you should expect to hear back within a week. Questions can be directed to RA-DHCOVIDVAX@pa.gov. In addition, please feel free to forward the form to other schools, districts, summer camps, community groups, etc. who may be interested in hosting a vaccination clinic.