Section 1327.4. School District Enrollee Wellness Checks.--(a) A school district shall conduct weekly wellness checks for each student enrolled in the school district that receives academic instruction exclusively through the school district's virtual instruction program for the full school year. A school district shall, at least once during any week consisting of at least three full or partial days of academic instruction, ensure that each student is visibly seen and communicated with in real time either in person or via electronic means by a teacher, administrator or other representative of the school district subject to 23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 (relating to child protective services) in order to ensure the well-being of the student and verify participation in the virtual instruction program. The following apply to a wellness check:
(1) The requirement under this subsection may be satisfied by each student turning on a webcam and a teacher, administrator or other representative of the school district subject to 23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 visibly seeing and communicating with the student during synchronous online instruction.
(2) Participation in virtual or face-to-face health screenings, standardized testing, advising and tutoring and in-person school-sponsored activities chaperoned by a teacher, administrator or other representative of the school district subject to 23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63 may count toward fulfilling a wellness check under this subsection.
(3) The school district may exempt a student from a weekly wellness check if the student has received an excused absence in accordance with section 1329 for the day on which the wellness check was attempted. If a student has an excused absence on the day a weekly wellness check is attempted, the school district shall conduct the check on the next school day or on another school day during that same week. If a student has an excused absence for all school days during a week, the school district shall exempt a student from a wellness check for that week.
(4) The school district may exempt a student from a weekly wellness check if the student's household is experiencing a documented Internet or power outage during the day and time in which the wellness check was attempted. The school district shall conduct the wellness check on the next school day or on another school day during that same week following resolution of the Internet or power outage. The parent or guardian of the student shall provide documentation of the Internet or power outage to the school district as soon as possible.
(5) Within one school day after a student fails to complete a required wellness check, the school district shall:
(i) make documented ongoing efforts to complete the required wellness check and contact the student's parent or guardian using at least two different methods of communication; and
(ii) provide written notice to the student's parent or guardian, in their preferred language, that the required wellness check has not been completed.
(6) If the required wellness check is not completed within three (3) school days after the notice is sent under paragraph (5)(ii), the following shall apply:
(i) The school district shall immediately schedule a wellness review conference to occur within one school day. The conference may be conducted in person or by electronic means and shall be for the purpose of completing the required wellness check through a real-time visual interaction with the student, reestablishing communication with the student and the student's parent or guardian and identifying interventions to ensure that the student participates in future wellness checks.
(ii) The school district shall convene the wellness review conference as scheduled, regardless of whether the student or the student's parent or guardian participates.
(7) If a student does not participate in the wellness review conference in accordance with paragraph (6)(ii), the school district shall conduct an in-person wellness check within 24 hours of the scheduled conference.
(8) A school district administrator may not alter any attendance record for wellness checks after the wellness check is performed, unless the alteration corrects an error.
(b) If any indication of abuse, neglect or harm to a child is observed, a school district administrator, employe or representative shall report the concerns in accordance with 23 Pa.C.S. Ch. 63.
(c) No later than March 1 of each year for the following school year, each school district with a virtual instruction program shall establish a wellness check policy that demonstrates compliance with subsections (a) and (b) and post the wellness check policy on its publicly accessible Internet website.
(d) The department may require proof of compliance with this section from a school district to ensure the well-being of a student enrolled in the school district that receives academic instruction exclusively through the school district's virtual instruction program and to verify attendance in the educational program.
(e) Failure to comply with this section may result in the department taking one or more of the following actions:
(1) Requiring the school district to report to the department the date, time and method of each wellness check for each student enrolled exclusively in the school district's virtual instruction program.
(2) Mandating school district educators, administrators and staff to complete child abuse recognition, prevention and reporting training annually.
(3) Requiring the school district to meet in person with each student enrolled in a virtual instruction program at least once during the school year following the school year in which the school district is out of compliance with this section.
(4) Prohibiting a school district from being awarded a competitive State grant by the department until the school district demonstrates compliance with subsections (a), (b) and (c).
(1327.4 added July 12, 2026, P.L.220, No.20)