Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H661 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. 92 FILED ON: 1/6/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 661
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Kelly W. Pease
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 equitable accelerated learning opportunities for public school students.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Kelly W. Pease4th Hampden1/6/2025Francisco E. Paulino16th Essex1/14/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 92 FILED ON: 1/6/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 661
18	18	By Representative Pease of Westfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 661) of Kelly
19	19	W. Pease and Francisco E. Paulino relative to accelerated learning opportunities for public
20	20	school students. Education.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
24	24	(2025-2026)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act relative to equitable accelerated learning opportunities for public school students.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 Section 1B of Chapter 69 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition
30	30	2is hereby amended by inserting after the 25th paragraph the following paragraphs:
31	31	3 “The board of elementary and secondary education shall establish regulations regarding,
32	32	4in the K-12 public schools of the Commonwealth, the use of whole-grade and content-specific
33	33	5academic acceleration designed to match the level, complexity, and pace of instruction of the
34	34	6curriculum to the readiness and motivation of the student; enabling accelerated students to
35	35	7master knowledge and skills, as they may be capable, at a rate faster or at an age earlier than the
36	36	8typical age-average student. Said regulations shall authorize, provide a framework, and direct
37	37	9school districts to provide access to appropriate curriculum, instruction and pacing for students
38	38	10who demonstrate readiness for academic content, skills or understanding at a level beyond the
39	39	11curriculum ordinarily taught to students of a certain age.  2 of 3
40	40	12 To ensure equity in education, the acceleration regulations established pursuant to this
41	41	13section shall direct that schools evaluate all children to determine the need for acceleration
42	42	14accommodations, not only those students recommended for acceleration by teachers and parents.
43	43	15Said regulations shall require the use of screening assessments, and an evaluation tool designed
44	44	16to take personal bias out of the decision-making process when considering a child for
45	45	17acceleration; and to ensure that acceleration decisions are evidence-based, systematic,
46	46	18thoughtful, well-reasoned, and defensible. Such regulations shall require that any determination
47	47	19made regarding acceleration accommodations for a student shall be documented in a written
48	48	20acceleration plan including, at a minimum, relevant academic and social-emotional supports.
49	49	21 Said written acceleration plan shall be implemented by administrators, counselors, and
50	50	22teachers. All districts shall provide professional development for educators to ensure a
51	51	23supportive environment for accelerated students and document it in their plans pursuant to
52	52	24Chapter 71 Section 38Q .  The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall
53	53	25develop and make available professional development and other assistance for implementation of
54	54	26acceleration plans.
55	55	27 In developing said regulations, the department shall consider, at a minimum, the
56	56	28following acceleration strategies:
57	57	29 Single subject acceleration;
58	58	30 Combined classes (multi-age);
59	59	31 Online courses and open educational resources;
60	60	32 Concurrent or dual enrollment, and early college; 3 of 3
61	61	33 Curriculum compacting;
62	62	34 Credit by examination or prior experience;
63	63	35 Credit toward graduation requirements for high-school level courses taken during
64	64	36elementary and middle school
65	65	37 Competency/mastery-based learning and advancement;
66	66	38 Whole-grade acceleration (one or more);
67	67	39 Self-paced instruction;
68	68	40 Mentoring;
69	69	41 Early entrance to first grade;
70	70	42 Early graduation”