1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 911 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 258
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf
_________________
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 creating an electronic backpack for foster children’s educational records.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester1/14/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 911 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 258
By Representative LeBoeuf of Worcester, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 258) of
David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf for legislation to authorize the Department of Children and
Families to establish an electronic repository of foster youths educational records. Children,
Families and Persons with Disabilities.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 190 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
An Act creating an electronic backpack for foster children’s educational records.
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 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition,
2is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following section:-
3 Section 98. (a) As used in this section, the following terms shall, unless the context
4requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
5 “Department”, shall mean the department of elementary and secondary education..
6 “Foster child or youth”, shall mean a child under the care or custody of the department of
7children and families or a young adult who has signed a voluntary placement agreement with the
8department of children and families. 2 of 3
9 “Electronic backpack”, shall mean an electronic repository of a foster child or youth’s
10educational records.
11 (b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the commissioner of the
12department, in consultation with the office of the child advocate and the commissioner of the
13department of children and families, shall develop and implement an electronic backpack system
14for the educational stability of foster child or youth.
15 (c) The department shall create an electronic backpack for each foster child or youth. The
16department, in conjunction with the department of children and families, shall promulgate
17regulations on the format and function of the electronic backpack system. Each electronic
18backpack system shall contain, but is not limited to, the educational records of the foster child or
19youth, including the names and addresses of educational providers, the name and contact of the
20child’s DCF case worker if applicable, the foster child or youth’s grade-level performance,
21transcript, the foster child or youth’s school attendance records, individual education plan if
22applicable, the name and contact information of the individual or individuals who are designated
23as the child’s educational decision makers, the name of the legal guardian with signing rights to
24release the child from school, visit notes from the school nurse, guidance counselor, or other
25administrators, detailed notes on best interest determination meetings, if applicable, and any
26other educational information that the department requires. The department shall maintain the
27electronic backpack as part of the department’s records for the foster child or youth as long as
28the foster child or youth remains in foster care.
29 (d) The department shall make the electronic backpack available to: 3 of 3
30 (i) Any person authorized by law to make educational decisions for the foster child or
31youth;
32 (ii) The teacher/teachers, school and school district that the child or youth is enrolled in;
33 (iii) Any person authorized to consent to medical care for the foster child or youth; and
34 (iv) Any provider of medical care to the foster child or youth if access to the foster child
35or youth’s educational information is necessary for the provision of medical care and is not
36prohibited by law.
37 (e) The department shall collaborate with the department of children and families to
38develop policies and procedures to ensure that the needs of foster child or youths are met in
39every school district.
40 SECTION 2. The department shall implement the electronic backpack program within
41one year of the passage of this act.