The following words and phrases when used in this article shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: “BOARD” means the Community Service Advisory Board. “COMMUNITY-BASED AGENCY” means a private, nonprofit organization that is representative of a community or a significant segment of a community that is engaged in meeting human, educational or environmental community needs. “COMMUNITY SERVICE” means performance of tasks designated to accomplish any of the following: (1) Environmental preservation, enhancement and remediation. (2) Promotion of the well-being of children, the elderly, persons with physical or developmental disabilities and persons with low incomes. (3) Educational development, including, but not limited to, literacy training, adult basic education courses and instruction in job search skills and job application skills. (4) Improvement activities on public lands or facilities. (5) Projects or activities calculated to improve public health, safety and welfare developed by the board. (6) Educational activities, through a Pennsylvania education system or a community or governmental entity, that instill an ethic of civic responsibility and citizenship in all Pennsylvanians and in particular young Pennsylvanians. “DEPARTMENT” means the Department of Labor and Industry of the Commonwealth. “OFFICE” means the Governor’s Office of Citizen Service (PennSERVE) within the Department of Labor and Industry.

(a) The predominant, but not the sole responsibility of the office shall be to coordinate the development and implementation of community service programs within this Commonwealth. (b) PennSERVE is established to make community service the common expectation and experience of all Pennsylvanians with a special concentration on Pennsylvania’s young people. (c) PennSERVE shall work to renew the ethic of civic responsibility in Pennsylvania and to involve and enroll young people in service opportunities that will benefit Pennsylvania while offering our young people literacy skills and improved job skills. PennSERVE shall build on the existing organizational framework of State, local and community-based programs and agencies to expand full-time and part-time service opportunities for all citizens, but particularly youth. (d) All Commonwealth departments, agencies, boards, commissions and instrumentalities shall share information and cooperate with the office to enable it to perform the functions assigned to it in this article. (e) The expenditure of money by PennSERVE for the compensation of participants, other than PennSERVE employes, in a community service program or in any other program established by a community-based agency or by the Commonwealth or a political subdivision is prohibited.

(f) The board shall consult with and advise the office on the development of a Statewide plan for expansion of community service opportunities. The board shall encourage youth to participate in community service, shall disseminate information concerning community service and shall monitor the effectiveness and geographical distribution of community service programs. The board shall also have the power to develop novel community service programs.

Services and programs may be provided to students in grades kindergarten through twelve. Services and programs shall include the following: … (2) Dropout Prevention Programs. Services and programs shall include the following: (i) Academic coursework. … (viii) Human, social and community services ... (xi) Community service. ...

(c.1) Notwithstanding section 2604-B(b)(2)(v), 22 Pa. Code § 4.24, 4.51 or 4.51c or any Statuteor regulation to the contrary, in any school year in which a demonstration of proficiency on a Keystone Exam is required for high school graduation, a student shall be deemed proficient if the student demonstrates one of the following: (3) Successful completion of locally established, grade- based requirements for academic content areas associated with each Keystone Exam on which the student did not achieve at least a proficient score and demonstration of three pieces of evidence that reflect readiness for meaningful postsecondary engagement consistent with the student’s goals and career plan, which shall include:

• (ii) Two additional pieces of evidence from a list established by the secretary and approved by the State Board of Education, which shall include, but not be limited to:
• (A) Any additional items listed under subparagraph (i).
• (B) Satisfactory completion of a service learning project that received advance approval for use as a rigorous and objective piece of evidence by a chief school administrator or their designee. A service learning project shall include global, national, State, local or in-school projects as defined by the department.

The office shall have the following powers and duties: (4) To cooperate with the Department of Education to implement the policy of the State Board of Education that all secondary, college and university students be encouraged to become involved in community service.