PSEA - PA State Education Association

Two more June Lobby Days in the books. ✅ PSEA’s Advocates for Children and Education (ACEs) continued their advocacy in Harrisburg this week, spending Tuesday and Wednesday meeting with state legislators and advocating for public school employees and students.

PSEA holds the Jennifer J. DuBois Fabric of Unionism Art Competition every two years for members and students to promote the historical significance of the labor movement and its importance to the future. 🎨 A big round of applause to our 2026 winners! Their creativity and talent is nothing short of amazing.

🌟 Member 1st Place: Barry Raker
🌟 Student 1st Place: Daniella Franca
🌟 Member 2nd Place: Jan Pearson
🌟 Student 2nd Place: Sophie Tridico and Sienna Ebert
🌟 Member 3rd Place: Kim Stamm
🌟 Student 3rd Place: Penelope King

"SUN Bucks is a federal program that provides eligible children’s families with a SNAP-like benefit to purchase food for the summer months when school is not in session. Most eligible children will receive the benefit automatically and do not need to apply, including children who already receive free and reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) during the school year."

Shapiro administration begins first distribution of $103M in funding to feed children over summer The Shapiro administration has begun distributing $103 million in summer food assistance benefits fo...

Winter PSEA-PACE grand prize winner Erik Huebner and North Penn School District Educational Foundation Executive Director Christine Liberaski join the latest episode of "Duty Free Lunch" to discuss advocacy, educational philanthropy, and student success. They share how the foundation supports innovative programs and opportunities for students and why strong partnerships between educators, schools, and communities make a lasting difference.

🎧 Listen to this episode at www.psea.org/podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

"Educators and school leaders say growing enrollment, increasingly complex student needs, years of federal underfunding and recent cuts to federal special education programs are putting pressure on local budgets and taxpayers.

According to the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), the percentage of public-school students receiving special education services has increased from about 15% to nearly 21% over the past decade, representing roughly 350,000 students statewide."

PA school districts face rising special education costs as federal funding falls short PA schools face tough budget choices as special education needs rise. With federal cuts and local tax hikes, how can schools meet growing demands?

H.R. 1, the budget reconciliation bill passed last summer, made a number of alterations to federal student aid and student loan administration. Many of those changes will take effect on July 1, 2026.

PSEA members are invited to join NEA on Tuesday, June 16 at 7 p.m. for a student debt webinar to learn how to navigate these changes and how to stay on track to receive Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Register at https://bit.ly/43MF9Xe.

Stay on Track for Student Debt Forgiveness | NEA Join our webinar on June 16 to learn the latest updates from our student debt experts.

This week kicked off June Lobby Days, where members involved in PSEA’s Advocates for Children and Education (ACE) program travel to Harrisburg to lobby their state legislators on pro-public education issues.

Members shared firsthand stories about school funding, student cellphone use in school, and the need to secure a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for pre-Act 9 retirees. Some even witnessed the state House Education Committee advance House Bill 1919, legislation that would provide protections for school employees injured due to student behavior.

Here’s what a few of our ACE members had to say about their experience. 👇

PSEA President Aaron Chapin joined leaders from Children First PA and the Pennsylvania Association of Public Cyber Charter Schools on Tuesday's “The PCN Capitol Preview” to discuss education funding.

"For the last two years, we've seen legislators and the governor step up and provide these resources that are long overdue. We've had decades where our students just have not been receiving the funding they need. If we provide our schools, our educators, and our support staff with the money that they really need to educate our students, we would see even greater, amazing results."

📺 Watch the full episode online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NbEYHLH8KI&t=858s.

"Public school teachers who are assaulted or injured at work by a student or parent would be eligible for up to a year of paid leave to recover under legislation now up for consideration in the state House.

The bill, introduced by Reps. Thomas Mehaffie (R-Dauphin) and Paul Friel (D-Chester), would also require school districts to continue providing health insurance and other benefits, while employees would continue to accrue service time toward their pension.

It passed with a bipartisan 20-6 vote Tuesday in the House Education Committee and now goes to the full chamber for consideration."

State House panel approves bill to provide paid leave for teachers injured by students or parents • Pennsylvania Capital-Star The bill would also require school districts to continue providing health insurance and other benefits for teachers injured by a student or parent.

The Pennsylvania House Education Committee voted today to approve House Bill 1919, legislation that will create stronger protections for educators and support professionals who are unable to perform their job duties because of an injury stemming from student behavior.

The legislation allows school employees who sustain an injury as a result of student behavior — or in less frequent cases, the behavior of parents or guardians — to take the time they need to recover without losing pay or benefits, including the accrual of service credit for retirement.

Read PSEA's full statement at www.psea.org/injuryleavepasseshouse.