The PA Senate Education Committee held a hearing recently regarding the implementation and compliance with criminal history provisions in Act 24 of 2011. Comments at the hearing focused on specific requirements in question pertaining to incumbent teachers who must report past arrests or convictions of certain offenses by Dec. 27, 2011. During the hearing, Carolyn Dumeresq, deputy secretary of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, stated that the intent of the legislation was to include the collection of information on arrests and that the Department of Education plans to issue a Basic Education Circular to provide guidance regarding the reporting requirements and criminal history provisions within Act 24 of 2011.