Act 89 (State Funded) Program

The largest program of the Nonpublic Programs department, Act 89 provides state funds for auxiliary (supplementary and remedial) services to nonprofit, nonpublic schools (K-12). These services are provided subject to funds that are appropriated annually in the state budget.

History : In 1975, the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania passed an Act that amended the PA School Code. This Act, entitle ‘Auxiliary Services: Nonpublic School Children’ was the 89 that act passed that year and was amended two years later to its present form. The purpose of Act 89 is to authorize Intermediate Units to provide secular, neutral, auxiliary educational service opportunities to Pennsylvania-resident children who are enrolled in nonprofit nonpublic schools.

Present Act 89-funded services include corrective reading and math, speech therapy, counseling, guidance, learning assessments and psycho-educational evaluations. Most services are provided in trailers although Act 89 services may now be provided in sectarian schools. Referrals for services are made by the nonpublic school administrator.

BCIU Act 89 Program Plan

Objectives

Consistent with the mission of the Bucks County Intermediate Unit, Act 89 services strive to ensure optimal growth to students in nonpublic schools through collaborative initiative design and delivery of exemplary service. Act 89 funds provide for auxiliary service in the areas of academic remediation, psycho-educational services and counseling, and speech and language therapy. Delivered by highly qualified staff, these services are subdivided, interrelated and expanded in a variety of ways to meet individual students’ requirements as well as the characteristics of different nonpublic schools.

Activities

This service includes diagnostic and  criterion-referenced testing as well as direct and small group instruction performed by teachers.   Corrective instruction in reading and mathematics is available on a regularly scheduled basis from one to three times per week for students in grades one through twelve; frequency is based on students’ grade level and severity of skill deficits. This service is contracted by the BCIU to Catapult Learning.

 

 

Counseling assists students with emotional, social, behavioral or academic problems, either individually or in small groups. For secondary students, sessions often focus on career awareness and options beyond high school. It is provided for students in grades one through twelve on a referral basis. During counseling intake, approximately 65% of elementary students referred are administered a learning test battery to screen for significant learning disabilities; approximately 30% are recommended for psycho-educational evaluations.

Psycho-educational evaluations are diagnostic evaluations provided by psychologists, who test students individually  on instruments that provide more definitive information than learning assessments in the areas of intelligence, achievement, perception, and emotional, adaptive, and behavioral functioning. Psychological consultation of students is also available in grades K through 12. These are accommodated upon request of principals of nonpublic schools; most of these services are contracted to Catapult Learning.

This service is conducted in small groups in elementary schools; a part-time therapist is also provided to provide screening for students as requested by schools. This service is provided by BCIU staff.

Site of Service Delivery

The BCIU conducts remedial classes and counseling activities with students in relocatable classrooms in close proximity to the schools when space is unavailable within the nonpublic school buildings. Each relocatable classroom contains one to three rooms. At present, relocatable classrooms are used at 37 nonpublic school sites.

Act 89 Services Provided June 2007			Pupils Served		Avg. Session Length (Minutes)		Avg. Sessions  per Pupil per year		Approx. FTE Staff
Guidance/ Counseling Elementary  (K-8)			3671		30				13.2 **
Guidance/ Counseling Secondary (9-12)			2182		30		2.75		2
Remedial Math			914		40		48		23
Remedial Reading			1085		40		48
Language Screening			45		90		1		0.2
Language Therapy			810		30		25		8.6
Psychological Assessments			422		45		7		5.8*
Psychological Consultations			272		45		2		* (same staff as above)
Educational Assessments			628		30		7		**  (same staff as above)