Signed by Governor Josh Shapiro

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that establishes the "What is Your Pennsylvania Story" program for Pennsylvania schools.

Highlights:

• Defines “What is Your Pennsylvania Story” as the celebration of the unique lived experiences of a student and their family living in Pennsylvania (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that the purpose of this program is to highlight Pennsylvania’s role in the history of the United States in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of independence (Sec. 3).

• Establishes the following student objectives (Sec. 3):

• To interact with one another as students with unique backgrounds and share their own “Pennsylvania story”; and

• To develop a historical understanding of the unique heritage of religious freedoms in the state, including the arrival of William Penn, the development of the Constitution, and the history of the Constitution since 1776.

• Requires the Department of Education to develop and provide materials to schools to be incorporated into social studies instruction, which may include the following (Sec. 3):

• Resources that educate students about various cultures by relaying the stories that other students provide about their Pennsylvania story;

• Teaching aids that allow students to explore cultures through food, art, books, movies, dance, traditions, and experiences; and

• Educational aids that provide students with information on the historical experiences of the inhabitants of the state.

• Specifies that this Act takes effect 30 days after passage, and expires on June 30, 2027 (Sec. 4-5).

Full Bill Text