Dear Families/Students,
On July 8, Governor Tom Wolf signed Act 55 of 2022 (Act 55) into law.
Act 55 permits a student with a disability who was enrolled during the 2021-22 school year and turned age 21 during the 2021-22 school year, or between the end of the 2021-22 and the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, to attend a school entity during the 2022-23 school year and receive services as outlined on their most recent Individualized Education Program (IEP) with all the protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
As required by Act 55, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) developed and posted online a standard form for parents/guardians and students to notify school entities of their plan for the student to attend the school entity for the 2022-23 school year. School entities are encouraged to post the Act 55 Student Enrollment Notification Form on the school entity’s publicly accessible website along with instructions and an email address for parents/guardians and students to submit the form to the school entity.
Parents/guardians and students who wish to take advantage of Act 55 must complete, sign, and submit the Act 55 of 2022 Student Enrollment Notification Form to the student’s school entity on or before August 1, 2022.
For a student with a disability who turned 21 during the time periods listed above, both the parent/guardian and the student must complete the form. Forms are to be submitted to the school entity in which the student will attend in the 2022-23 school year - they may not be submitted to PDE.
Guidance and answers to FAQs on Act 55 of 2022 is now available on PDE’s website. Please note, the form will be made available on PDE’s website beginning Monday, July 11, 2022 - the form is attached to this email for reference and posting on your website.
Please submit your completed Act 55 Student Enrollment Notification Form to:
DIrector of Special Education
Amie Lumadue
1091 Broad Street
Johnstown, PA 15906