Massachusetts H 631: An Act relative to foundation budget review commission permanence

Bill Text

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 874 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 631

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Kate Lipper-Garabedian and Jessica Ann Giannino
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to increase student access to career technical education schools and programs which are
aligned with regional labor market needs.
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PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Kate Lipper-Garabedian 32nd Middlesex 1/13/2025
Jessica Ann Giannino 16th Suffolk 1/13/2025

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 874 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 631
By Representatives Lipper-Garabedian of Melrose and Giannino of Revere, a petition
(accompanied by bill, House, No. 631) of Kate Lipper-Garabedian and Jessica Ann Giannino for
legislation to increase student access to career technical education schools and programs which
are aligned with regional labor market needs. Education.

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 531 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act to increase student access to career technical education schools and programs which are
aligned with regional labor market needs.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:

1 SECTION 1. Chapter 69 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following
2 6 sections:-
3 Section 37. For the purposes of sections 38 through 42, inclusive, the following terms
4 shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:-
5 “Career technical education”, shall have the same meaning as vocational-technical
6 education pursuant to section 1 of chapter 74.
7 “Office”, shall mean the office of career technical education.

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8 Section 38. There shall be established within the department of elementary and
9 secondary education an office of career technical education, which shall be under the supervision
10 and management of the deputy commissioner of career technical education. The deputy
11 commissioner shall be appointed by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education,
12 with the approval of the board. It shall be the duty of said deputy commissioner to improve and
13 maximize career technical education throughout the commonwealth, and to collaborate with the
14 board to promulgate regulations and develop and implement polices to enhance the
15 commonwealth’s career technical education programs, including but not limited to the ensuring
16 the enforcement of regulations relative to certificates of occupational proficiency.
17 Section 39. The office shall promote and support with available resources innovative and
18 collaborative career technical education demonstration programs in which students split time
19 between their comprehensive high school and a school offering programs under chapter 74;
20 provided, that under such programs, participating students’ daily schedule shall include required
21 academic classes and vocational courses when the equipment is available.
22 Section 40. (a) The office shall develop credentials for students graduating from high
23 quality career technical education programs in applied knowledge, effective relationships, and
24 workplace skills as described in the federal Employability Skills Framework.
25 (b) The office shall ensure instructional ability and competence of career technical
26 education instructors through the utilization of occupational advisory boards and nationally
27 validated teacher competency testing.
28 (c)The office shall utilize both pre- and post-technical assessment in both cognitive and
29 psychomotor domains to determine what students know and are able to do.

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30 (d) The office shall collaborate with recognized industry credential providers such as a
31 recognized industry credential provider to develop state-customized credentials to measure
32 career readiness through skill assessments appropriate to each tier of career technical education.
33 (e) The office shall consider the use of the 21st Century Skills for Workplace Success
34 Credential, including but not limited for use in validation of basic competencies prior to
35 participation in externships or school-based enterprises and as a graduation or completion
36 requirement for post-graduate and postsecondary chapter 74 programs.
37 (f) The office shall support the use of Industry Recognized Credentials, known as IRCs,
38 in chapter 74 programs.
39 (g) The office shall support the use of both longitudinal and pre- and post-student
40 assessment as a means of obtaining meaningful data for curricular impro