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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 290 FILED ON: 1/12/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 315
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Joan B. Lovely
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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 recovery high schools.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Joan B. LovelySecond Essex 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 290 FILED ON: 1/12/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 315
By Ms. Lovely, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 315) of Joan B. Lovely for
legislation relative to recovery high schools. Education.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 367 OF 2021-2022.]
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 relative to recovery high schools.
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 91 of Chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition,
2is hereby amended by striking out subsections (a) through (d), inclusive, and inserting in place
3thereof the following new subsections:-
4 Section 91. (a) The term ''Recovery High School'' shall mean a public high school
5operated by a school district or educational collaborative specifically designed for students
6impacted by substance use, mental health or trauma providing: (1) a comprehensive academic
7and social/emotional curriculum as outlined by the department of elementary and secondary
8education and (2) a structured plan of recovery.
9 (b) A school district shall transfer the state average foundation budget per pupil to a
10Recovery High School for a student meeting the following criteria: (1) the student is currently 2 of 2
11enrolled in the district or currently resides in the municipality in which the district is located; (2)
12the student is considered by a clinician, as defined by 105 CMR 164.006, to be clinically
13appropriate, using the criteria as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
14Disorders, V; and (3) the student meets all matriculation criteria as outlined by the sending
15district and the department of elementary and secondary education, with the determination of
16academic eligibility based on existing documentation provided by the district. The district and
17the Recovery High School shall arrange to confer a diploma when a student is enrolled in a
18Recovery High School and completes state and district-mandated graduation requirements,
19 (c) A Recovery High School shall submit to the department of elementary and secondary
20education data considered necessary by the department to evaluate each student's academic
21performance. A Recovery High School shall also submit to the department of public health data
22regarding each student's recovery.
23 (d) The department of elementary and secondary education, in consultation with the
24department of public health and the department of mental health, shall promulgate rules and
25regulations as necessary to implement this section.