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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3806 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1280
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Adrian C. Madaro and Chynah Tyler
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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 relative to advanced placement examinations and college credit.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Adrian C. Madaro1st Suffolk1/20/2023Chynah Tyler7th Suffolk1/20/2023Bruce J. Ayers1st Norfolk2/2/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden2/2/2023Patricia A. Duffy5th Hampden2/2/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/2/2023Susan Williams Gifford2nd Plymouth2/2/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/3/2023Jon Santiago9th Suffolk2/13/2023Kay Khan11th Middlesex2/13/2023James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex2/13/2023John J. CroninWorcester and Middlesex2/13/2023James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/13/2023Tram T. Nguyen18th Essex2/13/2023Rob Consalvo14th Suffolk2/15/2023Adam GomezHampden3/6/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3806 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1280
By Representatives Madaro of Boston and Tyler of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 1280) of Adrian C. Madaro, Chynah Tyler and others relative to advanced placement
examinations and college credit. Higher Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to advanced placement examinations and college credit.
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 15A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
2section 39 the following section:-
3 Section 39A. (a) All public institutions of higher education, as set forth in section 5, shall
4develop and adopt written policies and procedures to accept a score of three, four, and five on all
5advanced placement examinations to satisfy degree requirements. The policies shall indicate
6whether the credit shall be granted for general education, major, or elective requirements at the
7institution, and shall include procedures related to the transferability of these credits to another
8institution of higher education. An institution may not require an exam score of more than three
9unless the chief academic officer provides evidence that the higher score is necessary for a
10student to be successful in a related or more advanced course for which the lower-division course
11is a prerequisite. The department of higher education shall provide guidance on what constitutes
12as evidence for an institution to require an examination score of more than three. 2 of 2
13 (b) All policies and procedures governing the award of credit shall be posted on the
14institution’s website under the category of admission, which the institution shall update as
15necessary to reflect any changes in policies and procedures. In addition, each institution shall
16submit its policies and procedures, or any changes thereto, to the department of higher education
17who shall post each institution’s policies and procedures, or changes thereto, on the department’s
18website.
19 (c) The board of higher education, and in the case of the University of Massachusetts, in
20cooperation with the board of trustees of the University of Massachusetts, shall annually review
21the advanced placement examination score course granting policies of each institution of higher
22education and any evidence supporting policies requiring scores above 3 in accordance with the
23requirements of this section, and report its findings, evidence supporting policies requiring scores
24above 3, and any recommendations with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives,
25and the chairs of the joint committee on higher education not later than July 1. Each institution of
26higher education shall provide the board of higher education, and in the case of the University of
27Massachusetts, its board of trustees, with all necessary data, in accordance with the federal
28Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, to conduct the analysis.
29 SECTION 2. The first annual report required by subsection (c) of section 39A of chapter
3015A of the General Laws shall be published not later than July 1, 2023.
31 SECTION 3. Section 1 shall take effect no later than 3 months after the effective date of
32this act.