Culver Chairs Senate Education Committee Meeting on Key School and Student Issues

HARRISBURG - Senator Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-27), chair of the Senate Education Committee, convened a committee meeting Monday, April 20, 2026 to consider several bills affecting Pennsylvania schools, students, and families.

The committee considered legislation related to civic education, school property purchases, student athletics, and oversight of private licensed schools.

Among the bills considered were Senate Bill 250 and Senate Bill 598, both sponsored by Senator Cris Dush. Senate Bill 250 would require each school entity to display the Preamble to the Pennsylvania Constitution in the entranceway of each school building, while Senate Bill 598 would require display of the Preamble to the United States Constitution. In both cases, the display could take the form of a plaque, student artwork, or another format. As Pennsylvania continues its PA 250 efforts, these bills are also intended to encourage civic awareness and help students connect with the documents that shaped our Commonwealth and our country.

The committee also considered Senate Bill 698, sponsored by Senator Jarrett Coleman, which addresses how public schools purchase real property. As amended, the bill would require the value of property to be determined by an authorized appraiser not associated with the sale, and that requirement would apply to school districts, charter schools, and cyber charter schools.

In addition, the committee considered Senate Bill 1293, sponsored by Senator Judy Ward, which would establish the Fairness in Women's Sports Act, and Senate Bill 1294, also sponsored by Ward, which would increase the maximum civil penalty for violations involving private licensed schools from $2,500 to $25,000. The changes in Senate Bill 1294 are intended to strengthen enforcement, particularly in response to safety concerns involving unlicensed CDL schools.

"As chair of the Senate Education Committee, I want to make sure legislation affecting students, families, and schools receives thoughtful review and discussion," Culver said. "Today's meeting covered a range of important issues, and I appreciate the work of the committee as we continue reviewing policies that affect education across Pennsylvania."

The full committee meeting is available to watch at the Senate Education Committee website.