This bill amends the Public School Code of 1949 by adding a new subsection to Section 1216, which pertains to the evaluation of applications for teacher certification. The new provisions require the Pennsylvania Department of Education to establish and implement a one-time fee waiver policy for eligible applicants who need to retake an assessment required for certification. This policy must be in place by December 31, 2025, and the Department is tasked with publishing the policy on its website and distributing it to relevant educational programs and institutions.

The bill defines "eligible applicant" as an individual who has previously taken an assessment and failed by three or fewer points, has only taken the assessment once before requesting the waiver, and registers to retake the assessment within one year of receiving their initial score. Additionally, the bill clarifies terms such as "advanced preparation program," "alternative program provider," "assessment," and "preparing institution" by referencing existing definitions in the Pennsylvania Code. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.