#PA

citizenportal.ai

PDE will allow career-tech students to take NOCTE exam in 11th grade

Secretary Carrie Rowe said Pennsylvania will permit career-and-technical students to take the national NOCTE certification exam in 11th grade, a change intended to reduce waiting lists and allow earlier supervised community learning.

citizenportal.ai

PDE plans statewide facility survey to identify school building repair needs and potential Plancon revival

Rowe said a statewide facility survey will clarify the scope of building needs, help target funding, and inform whether Plancon-style capital-aid processes should be restored; she cited examples of makeshift HVAC arrangements.

citizenportal.ai

PDE rolls out online assessments and Firefly benchmarking to ease transition

Rowe described Pennsylvania's shift to online state assessments with technology-enhanced item types and a new Firefly benchmarking tool; PDE is offering webinars and diagnostics to prepare schools and students.

citizenportal.ai

PDE highlights universal recess and universal free breakfast as student supports

Secretary Rowe said the new universal recess requirement (K–5) promotes physical activity and social skills, and called universal free breakfast "one of the best changes" for reducing hunger and stigma among students.

citizenportal.ai

PDE cites certification reforms and new pathways to ease special-education staffing shortages

Rowe described steps to address educator shortages: reducing certification turnaround by 10 weeks, nearly fully funding a student-teacher stipend, and creating accelerated pathways for paraprofessionals into special-education teaching roles.

citizenportal.ai

Pennsylvania emphasizes structured literacy for K–3 as top priority

Secretary Carrie Rowe said structured literacy for grades K–3 is among the Pennsylvania Department of Education's top priorities this year, focused on phonics and phonemic awareness to bolster early reading proficiency.

citizenportal.ai

Rowe: about $500 million invested in school safety and student mental health

Secretary Carrie Rowe said roughly $500,000,000 in grant funding has been directed to school safety and student mental-health efforts, including hiring school psychologists and improving building security.

citizenportal.ai

Oakmont emergency services report 62 calls in 24 hours after storm; department used self-dispatching

Borough emergency services reported 62 storm-related calls in a 24-hour surge and described a new 'self-dispatching' approach the department used to handle overflow; council and residents thanked volunteers and crews for recovery work.

citizenportal.ai

County posts DEP, CNX and EQT notices; commissioners note local retail developments

The agenda listed multiple DEP and operator permit notices (CNX, EQT), a FERC environmental-assessment schedule and a CEC project; in public comment commissioners reported local retail openings and forthcoming construction including Ollie's, Starbucks, Chipotle and Rudders.

citizenportal.ai

Commissioners approve $635,731 medical-transport allocation and HUD grant agreements totaling $292,086

Greene County accepted the FY26-27 Medical Assistance Transportation initial allocation of $635,731 and two HUD Federal Grant Agreements worth $66,621 and $225,465 for the 10/1/2026–9/30/2027 period.