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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1911 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 436
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Antonio F. D. Cabral
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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 to achieve universal pre-kindergarten.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Antonio F. D. Cabral13th Bristol1/18/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/26/2023Christopher Hendricks11th Bristol1/26/2023Alan Silvia7th Bristol1/30/2023Paul A. Schmid, III8th Bristol2/1/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023Carole A. Fiola6th Bristol2/7/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/7/2023Priscila S. Sousa6th Middlesex2/15/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1911 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 436
By Representative Cabral of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 436) of
Antonio F. D. Cabral and others for legislation to establish universal pre-kindergarten
commission and dedicate funding for pre-kindergarten offerings. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to achieve universal pre-kindergarten.
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 13 of chapter 15D of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition,
2is hereby amended by adding the following subsections: -
3 (e) The Universal Pre-Kindergarten Commission.
4 (1) Establishment of the Commission. There shall be a special commission for the
5purpose of making an investigation and study relative to how to expand universal pre-
6kindergarten to provide pre-kindergarten to every pre-kindergarten aged child in the
7Commonwealth, which shall be known as the Universal Pre-Kindergarten Commission (in this
8subsection referred to as the ‘commission’).
9 (2) Members. The commission shall be chaired by the commissioner of the department of
10early education and care or the commissioner’s designee. The secretary of education or the
11secretary’s designee and the commissioner of the department of elementary and secondary
12education or the commissioner’s designee shall be members. The governor shall appoint 6 2 of 3
13members, one of whom shall be nominated by Head Start Massachusetts, one of whom shall
14have experience operating a private preschool, one of whom shall be a member of a teachers’
15union or association, one of whom shall be nominated by the Massachusetts Association of
16School Superintendents, Inc. and one of whom shall be nominated by the Massachusetts
17Association of School Committees. The speaker of the house and the senate president shall each
18appoint one member.
19 (3) Report Recommending Legislation.
20 (i) Deadline. The commission shall report its findings and any legislation necessary to
21implement said findings to the governor, the clerks of the senate and house of representatives,
22the senate and house of representatives committees on ways and means, the joint committee on
23children, families, and persons with disabilities and the joint committee on education by
24December 31, 2024.
25 (ii) Contents of the Report. The commission report shall include an analysis of how to
26best expand quality pre-kindergarten offerings in Massachusetts such that every 3- and 4-year-
27old child would be able to attend; how to pay for expanding pre-kindergarten offerings; the
28appropriate ratio and combination of various types of pre-kindergarten programs to best serve
29children throughout the state; and the best way to promote high quality educational curriculum,
30child development and safety standards. In making its recommendations the commission shall
31consider among other issues:
32 (A) the advantages and disadvantages including cost, parental preference and ease of
33expansion of pre-kindergarten as provided by Head Start, public schools, programs licensed or
34subsidized by the department of early education and care and private programs. 3 of 3
35 (B) the cost of expanding pre-kindergarten offerings according to the different program
36models that are available, for example Head Start, public schools, programs licensed or
37subsidized by the department of early education and care and private programs.
38 (C) the financial benefits of universal pre-kindergarten for education readiness and
39greater employment opportunities for parents.
40 (D) the possibility of including pre-kindergarten students when calculating the
41distribution of chapter 70 education funds.
42 (E) how to appropriately increase pre-kindergarten offerings over time while ensuring
43quality of care and safety; and
44 (F) the optimum way to expand participation in the Quality Rating Information System
45(or ‘QRIS’) or other curriculum standards programs adopted by Massachusetts, including
46providing grants or other financial incentives for participation.
47 (f) Universal Pre-Kindergarten Expansion Funding. Notwithstanding subsection (c) of
48section 10 of chapter 152 of the acts of 1997 or any other general or special law to the contrary,
49no later than June 30 of each year, that portion of the balance in the Convention Center Fund
50which the state treasurer has determined to exceed the amount necessary to satisfy the
51requirement of sufficiency under said subsection (c) of said section 10 of said chapter 152, shall
52be transferred to the department of early education and care to be used solely for the purpose of
53expanding pre-kindergarten offerings.