The Butler Area School District is asking state Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, for help in allowing former teachers with inactive certifications to work as long-term substitute teachers.

Superintendent Brian White told school board members Monday that he wrote a letter to Hutchinson, asking him to add an amendment to Senate Bill 1216 to allow former teachers whose teaching certifications have been inactive for five years to be eligible to work as long-term substitutes.

Act 48 requires teachers to earn six credits of collegiate study; or six credits of continuing professional education courses approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education; or 180 hours of continuing professional education programs, activities or learning experiences through a department approved provider; or any combination of those requirements every five years to maintain an active certification.

The district needs relief from Act 48 because inactive teachers can now only work as substitutes for up to 90 days and there is a limited number of substitutes available, White said.

He said the district has two former teachers with inactive certifications working as substitutes, but they are allowed to work only through January due to Act 48 requirements.

The district is using people with no teacher training or certifications by seeking emergency teaching certifications through the department, he wrote in the letter.

“It seems that prospective candidates with a background in education would be well suited to be substitute teachers. Therefore, I am requesting that you consider proposing an amendment to waive Act 48 hour requirements for the 2020-21 school year and that those with inactive certificates be considered as having active certificates for the 2020-21 school year,” the letter states.

Senate Bill 1216 contains a number of provisions that affect education, including graduation requirements.

In other business, the district received a $20,000 grant from the No Hungry Kid Foundation for the Kid's Weekend Backpack program, which provides students in grades kindergarten through four with meals they take home for weekends.

White said the grant is timely because the Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation, the district's nonprofit foundation, has not been able to conduct its usual fundraisers for the program due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Having some additional resources to help the Weekend Backpack program is essential for us,” White said.

In addition, White said the high school swimming pool was drained after a crack was found.

A structural engineer is looking at the pool and is expected to have a report in a week or two, White said.

The board revised the school calendar to add three in-service days for teachers on Nov. 2, Jan. 25 and March 26 to give teachers time to prepare grades and curriculum. The changes do not extend the school year. The last day of classes remains June 4.