24 Pa. Stat. § 1-102
When used in this act the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
"Academic performance target." A percentage of students in a school or school district required to score at a level equal to or above proficient in those subject areas assessed through a PSSA test and required under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 ( Public Law 107-110, 115 Stat. 1425) in order to achieve adequate yearly progress pursuant to 22 Pa. Code § 403.3 (relating to single accountability system).
"Adequate yearly progress" or "AYP." Adequate yearly progress as defined by section 1111(b)(2)(C) of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 ( Public Law 107-110 , 115 Stat. 1425) and in 22 Pa. Code §§ 403.2 (relating to definitions) and 403.3 (relating to single accountability system).
"Board of school directors." Includes the board of public education in school districts of the first class except where specifically limited to school districts of other classes.
"Corrective action." Classification as provided in 22 Pa. Code § 403.3 (relating to single accountability system) indicating that a school or school district failed to meet adequate yearly progress for four or more consecutive years and requiring development of a corrective action plan.
"Dyslexia." A condition that is characterized by difficulty with accurate or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities, which characteristics typically result from a deficit in one or more processes related to the phonological component of language, that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction and that may result in problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that may impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
"Keystone Exam." An assessment developed or caused to be developed by the Department of Education pursuant to 22 Pa. Code § 4.51(f) (relating to State assessment system).
"No Child Left Behind Act of 2001." The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 ( Public Law 107-110, 115 Stat. 1425).
"Official visitor." Includes the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Secretary of Education and members of the State Board of Education.
"Pennsylvania System of School Assessment test" or "PSSA test." A test developed and implemented by the Department of Education to determine only academic achievement relating to objective academic standards in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics and science and which test is so developed and implemented as necessary to comply with Federal law.
"Proficient." The attainment of performance levels in those subject areas assessed through the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment test and required under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 ( Public Law 107-110, 115 Stat. 1425) that have been approved by the State Board of Education to reflect satisfactory academic performance.
"School district." Includes school districts of all classes except where specifically limited to districts of a particular class or classes.
"School improvement." Classification as provided in 22 Pa. Code § 403.3 (relating to single accountability system) indicating a school or school district has failed to make adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years and needs improvement.
"School term." The period of time elapsing between the opening of the public schools in the fall of one year and the closing of the public schools in the spring of the following year.
"School year." The period of time elapsing in school districts of the first class between the first day of January and the 31st day of December of any year and in school districts of all other classes between the first day of July of one year and the 30th day of June of the following year. Effective July 1, 1997, for the 1997-1998 school year and each school year thereafter, school districts with a year-round education program may submit a request to the Secretary of Education for approval or disapproval to extend the school year until August 15 for the purpose of determining average daily memberships for students whose 180 days of instruction continue into the summer months.
"Trauma." Includes results from an event, series of events or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual's cognitive functioning and physical, social, emotional, mental or spiritual well-being.
"Trauma-informed approach." Includes a school-wide approach to education and a classroom-based approach to student learning that recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma and responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, professional learning, procedures and practices for the purposes of recognizing the presence and onset of trauma, resisting the reoccurrence of trauma and promoting resiliency tailored to a school entity's culture, climate and demographics and the community as a whole.
"Warning." Classification as provided in 22 Pa. Code § 403.3 (relating to single accountability system) indicating that a school or school district has failed to make its academic performance targets for one year.
24 P.S. § 1-102