Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H482 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 141 FILED ON: 1/10/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 482
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	William C. Galvin, (BY REQUEST)
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to school committee oversight.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Paul McAuliffe1/10/2023 1 of 2
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 141 FILED ON: 1/10/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 482
18	18	By Representative Galvin of Canton (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
19	19	482) of Paul McAuliffe relative to school committee oversight of courses of study including
20	20	courses concerning sexually transmitted infections. Education.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 4693 OF 2021-2022.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act relative to school committee oversight.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
32	32	2section 97 the following section:-
33	33	3 Section 98. School Committees shall ensure that the courses of study prescribed by law
34	34	4and by the rules of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education are carried out.
35	35	5 (a) The school committee may establish supplemental courses that are not inconsistent
36	36	6with the prescribed courses and may adopt courses of study in lieu of state courses of study upon
37	37	7approval by the district's Superintendent. 2 of 2
38	38	8 (b) For each course of study offered by a school district, the district school board shall
39	39	9ensure that the following information is made available to the public on the school district’s
40	40	10website:
41	41	11 (i) The title of, or other descriptive information for, any textbooks and instructional
42	42	12 materials used for the course and, when available, a link for the textbook or instructional
43	43	13 materials;
44	44	14 (ii) A syllabus for, or written summary of, the course; and
45	45	15 (iii) When applicable, identification of the state academic content standards that are being
46	46	16satisfied by the course.
47	47	17 (c) The school committee shall ensure that any changes to the information described in
48	48	18subparagraph (b) of this paragraph are reflected on the school district’s website within 30 days of
49	49	19the change.
50	50	20 (d) Any school committee may establish a course of education concerning sexually
51	51	21transmitted infections including recognition of causes, sources and symptoms, and the
52	52	22availability of diagnostic and treatment centers. Any such course established may be taught to
53	53	23adults from the community served by the individual schools as well as to students enrolled in the
54	54	24school. The board shall cause the parents or guardians of minor students to be notified in
55	55	25advance that the course is to be taught. Any such parent or guardian may direct in writing that
56	56	26the minor child in the care of the parent or guardian be excused from any class within the course.
57	57	27Any parent or guardian may inspect the instructional materials to be used before or during the
58	58	28time the course is taught.