Jun. 20, 2017
HARRISBURG – Legislation sponsored by Rep. Mark Keller (R-Perry/Cumberland), designed to deliver agricultural education more effectively in Pennsylvania, was overwhelmingly approved by the House of Representatives on Monday.
House Bill 944 would amend the Public School Code to create the Commission of Agricultural Education Excellence to assist in the development and implementation of agricultural education programming for K-12 schools. Currently, the departments of Education and Agriculture work in collaboration to provide such resources with the input of stakeholders from the agriculture and education communities. Under the bill, the stakeholder group would be replaced by the commission, which would consist of members with knowledge of agriculture and agricultural education, and have dual oversight by both agencies.
“This legislation would combine the separate efforts currently undertaken by the two departments into a single, more efficient process,” said Keller. “The ultimate goal is to provide students with the best education possible in our public schools and give them the skills they need for a successful career in agriculture.”
Housed within the Department of Agriculture and provided with a support staff from both agencies, the commission would develop state-approved agricultural curriculum, assist with agricultural experience programs, coordinate local and statewide FFA activities, and submit an annual report to the governor and General Assembly on the status of agricultural education in the Commonwealth.
The commission would consist of the secretaries of the departments of Education and Agriculture with the following members jointly appointed by them from lists submitted by the Legislature: two farmers, a representative of the agricultural processing and marketing industries, two faculty members of agricultural sciences, a faculty member from the State System of Higher Education with a background in or knowledge of agriculture, two teachers of vocational agriculture, a teacher involved in agricultural education other than vocational agriculture, an administrator of a school entity which conducts an agricultural education program, a member of a school district occupational advisory committee and two members of the business community with knowledge of agricultural education.
House Bill 944 will next be considered by the Senate.
Representative Mark Keller
86th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Andy Briggs
717.260.6474
abriggs@pahousegop.com
RepKeller.com /
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