PA Representative Joe Ciresi banner image

Dear Neighbor,

In this week’s update, you will find:

Education Updates
New Hours in Lower Pottsgrove Township
Upcoming Events
Local Forum on Advocacy

We return to session next week in Harrisburg to consider legislation and continue working on the 2026-27 state budget. Since joining the House in 2018, I have looked for ways to reduce the pressure on local school district taxes by passing charter school reform and fairly funding education at the state level.

Last week, I introduced legislation with a Republican colleague to strengthen fairness, transparency and accountability in how students are evaluated for special education services in charter schools.

Under current law, charter schools receive additional funding for students identified as needing special education services. While this funding is intended to ensure that students receive appropriate support, the existing system can create incentives for over-identifying students with mild disabilities while underserving those with more complex or costly needs.

House Bill 2424 would address this issue by requiring an independent qualified third party – specifically, the student’s school district of residence or an intermediate unit – to perform the initial special-education evaluations for charter school students.

AI in Classrooms

At a recent House Education Committee hearing in Pittsburgh, I spoke with Dr. Lori Bailey of the College of Education and Human Development at Temple University about how schools should rethink artificial intelligence. She explained that we should encourage students to question and verify AI-generated information, while highlighting a “green, yellow, red” framework being explored in states like New York and Arizona to guide responsible AI use for teachers and students.

Lower Pottsgrove Township hours: Tues/Thurs 12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Upcoming Events

Repair Café in Royersford – this Saturday!

Got broken stuff? Bring it to the Repair Cafe at the Royersford Baptist Church (452 S. Lewis Rd., Royersford) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 25, where skilled volunteers will help you fix it for free!

Lamps, toys, jewelry, furniture, small electrical appliances, clothing ... it's a way to save money and keep stuff out of the landfill, while connecting with neighbors.

More info

Save the Date: $cam Jam in Limerick May 29

My office is happy to partner with Pennsylvania’s Department of Banking & Securities to bring you a scam prevention event at the Limerick Township building. You will hear from experts from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, Limerick Police Department, and PA Attorney General’s Office.

Date: May 29

Time: 10 a.m. to noon

Address: 646 W. Ridge Pike, Limerick 19468

The Health Spark Foundation hosted an event in Blue Bell last Friday called Owning the Narrative. I was part of a panel focused on local advocacy, where we talked about how local voices inform legislation and impact our communities. (R-L: Moderator Correne Kristiansen; Blessing Osazuwa, Montco 30% Project; Douglas Eschbach, Generations of the Indian Valley). Thank you to the Foundation for bringing people together at this great event!