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America First Policy Institute
Local Policy Brief
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| 📄 View Official Agenda |
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We reviewed the upcoming agenda for Quakertown Community SD and found 6 items with policy significance ahead of the vote.
| PRIORITY (LEVEL 9) |
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State Mandates on Curriculum Discussed by District Committee
Education Committee minutes note two forthcoming state-level curriculum mandates from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). ACT 47 will require districts to adopt K-3 reading materials from a PDE-approved list, and new social media standards are expected by 2028-2029. This signals a significant move by the state to control local curriculum decisions.
Policy Use
BRIEF STATE AFFAIRS: The Education Committee minutes (Attachment 10) provide an early warning on state-level curriculum mandates (ACT 47 Structured Literacy, social media standards). Alert the state team to track PDE’s implementation and develop policy responses to preserve local control.
💰 Policy Lever: State Curriculum Control
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| PRIORITY (LEVEL 8) |
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District Expands School-Based Mental Health Services and SEL
The district is accepting a state grant to fund a school psychology internship to “expand the school-based mental health workforce” (Item 12.B). Additionally, the middle school will host speakers from “Minding Your Mind” for mental health education and the YMCA for SEL-focused discussions (Attachment 36). These actions increase the provision of mental health and SEL programming in schools by external providers, raising parental rights concerns.
Policy Use
TRACK AND DOCUMENT: The grant agreement for item 12.B was not attached; request it to identify any conditions. Document the district’s use of external providers for mental health and SEL programming as an example of how these services are expanding at the local level.
💰 Policy Lever: State Grant
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| PRIORITY (LEVEL 7) |
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District Considers Policy Change on Student Health Screenings
The Policy Committee is advancing Policy 209 for a first reading. Meeting minutes indicate the policy will require making “eating disorder awareness” materials available to students in grades 6-12 and changes how height and weight data are used. This action touches on parental rights regarding student health services and access to sensitive materials.
Policy Use
PULL THE DOCUMENT: The full text of proposed Policy 209 and the referenced ‘Health Screenings Letter’ are not attached. Request the full text from the district before the vote on item 12.A to determine the exact language regarding parental notification and consent for health screenings and access to awareness materials.
💰 Policy Lever: Parental Notification
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| PRIORITY (LEVEL 7) |
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District to Approve Field Placement for University Counseling Students
The board is set to approve an affiliation agreement with West Chester University for field placements for students in its Counselor Education program. This agreement formalizes a pipeline for counseling interns to work with district students, further integrating mental health services into the school environment and raising questions about parental consent for services provided by non-district personnel.
Policy Use
DOCUMENT AND BRIEF: The agreement text is in Attachment 26 under item 10.G. Add this district to the state tracker for university partnerships that place counseling interns in K-12 schools. Use as an example for model policy on parental consent for services from third-party personnel.
💰 Policy Lever: University Partnership
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| WATCH (LEVEL 6) |
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District to Host State-Funded Pre-K Counts Program
The district will approve an agreement with LifeSpan to host two Pre-K Counts classrooms for 31 children, funded by the state. Eligibility is based on family income up to 300% of the federal poverty level. This represents local implementation of a state-level initiative to expand government-funded early childhood education.
Policy Use
PULL THE DOCUMENT: The MOU with LifeSpan for item 11.B was not attached. Request the agreement to review terms and conditions of the state-funded Pre-K program. Add to state tracker for Pre-K expansion.
💰 Policy Lever: State Pre-K Grant
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✅ Models to Replicate
Good moves worth showing up to support so they stick.
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| Model Policy (LEVEL 8) |
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District Advances Policy Prohibiting Student BMI Collection
The Policy Committee is advancing Policy 246 (School Wellness) which, according to meeting minutes, explicitly prohibits the collection of student body mass index (BMI). This is a positive development in protecting student privacy and limiting the scope of health data collection in schools. The policy is up for a first reading.
How to Capture It
CAPTURE THE MODEL: Request the full text of proposed Policy 246 before the vote on item 12.A. If the prohibition on BMI collection is adopted, add the language to the model policy file for Pennsylvania as a win for student health data privacy.
✅ Why It Matters: Student Health Data Privacy
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District Leadership
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100 Commerce Drive, Quakertown, PA 18951 |
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America First Policy Institute
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