Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H722 Compare Versions

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

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2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 533 FILED ON: 1/9/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 722
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Chynah Tyler
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 to create and expand student pathways to success.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Chynah Tyler7th Suffolk1/9/2025 1 of 12
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 533 FILED ON: 1/9/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 722
18	18	By Representative Tyler of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 722) of Chynah
19	19	Tyler for legislation to establish within the office of the Governor a workforce skills cabinet to
20	20	expand student pathways to success. Education.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 592 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act to create and expand student pathways to success.
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 6 of the General laws, as appearing in the 2018 official edition, is
32	32	2hereby amended by inserting, after Section 17A, the following section:-
33	33	3 “Section 17B. (a) There is hereby established within the office of the governor a
34	34	4workforce skills cabinet, hereinafter referred to as the “cabinet,” to serve as a cross-agency
35	35	5governance structure for the purpose of advising the governor and relevant executive branch
36	36	6agencies as well as the general court, and aligning the programs and policies of the executive
37	37	7offices of labor and workforce development, education and housing and economic development
38	38	8to improve and expand workforce skills and college and career readiness to meet the varying
39	39	9current and future needs of the Commonwealth and its regions. 2 of 12
40	40	10 (b) The cabinet shall consist of:
41	41	11 1. the secretary of the executive office of education;
42	42	12 2. the secretary of the executive office of labor and workforce development;
43	43	13 3. the secretary of the executive office of housing and economic development;
44	44	14 4. the commissioner of the department of elementary and secondary education;
45	45	15 5. the commissioner of the department of higher education;
46	46	16 6. the chairperson of the workforce development board established by section 7 of
47	47	17chapter 23H of the MGL;
48	48	18 7. the executive director of the Massachusetts workforce association;
49	49	19 8. three members appointed by the governor representing business and industry who-
50	50	20 (i) are owners of businesses, chief executive or operating officers of businesses, or other
51	51	21executives or employees with optimum policymaking or hiring authority; or,
52	52	22 (ii) represent organizations that represent businesses or industries;
53	53	23 9. two members appointed by the governor who represent the perspectives and interests
54	54	24of current or future workforce participants, including the parents of school age students; and,
55	55	25 10. three members appointed by the governor from amongst other college and career
56	56	26readiness and workforce development stakeholder groups.
57	57	27 (c) The appointed members shall each serve three year terms at the pleasure of the
58	58	28governor and serve without compensation. 3 of 12
59	59	29 (d) The governor shall select an individual from amongst its membership to chair the
60	60	30cabinet. The chair shall serve at the pleasure of the governor.
61	61	31 (e) The cabinet shall meet monthly and their meetings shall be public.
62	62	32 (f) In addition to, and within, the general mission of the cabinet as stated in subparagraph
63	63	33(a), the cabinet shall:
64	64	34 (i) facilitate alignment, collaboration, strategic planning, and joint execution among
65	65	35participating state agencies, offices, and other stakeholders around the development of workforce
66	66	36development strategies for the Commonwealth and the expansion of college and career readiness
67	67	37pathways for all, with an emphasis on high school programs;
68	68	38 (ii) conduct a biennial study of all college and career pathway programs that focuses on
69	69	39equity of access to said programs as well as the alignment of said programs with current and
70	70	40future workforce needs, including recommendations on creating a process to phase out programs
71	71	41that are not aligned;
72	72	42 (iii) develop and release an annual report on the state’s top current and future labor
73	73	43market needs;
74	74	44 (iv) oversee the improvement of data collection and reporting on pathways programs by
75	75	45facilitating data linkages between agencies, creating mechanisms to analyze meaningful growth
76	76	46data by specific pathways programs, and building new public-facing data tools;
77	77	47 (v) advise the departments of elementary and secondary education and higher education
78	78	48with regard to student acquisition of the employability skills that should be achieved in their
79	79	49preparation for career success; and, 4 of 12
80	80	50 (vi) submit an annual report to the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and
81	81	51means, the chairs of the joint education committee, and the chairs of the joint committee on
82	82	52higher education detailing the Cabinet’s work over the past year.
83	83	53 (g) The cabinet shall be staffed by a full time Executive Director who shall be an
84	84	54employee of the office of the governor, selected in consultation with the cabinet.
85	85	55 (h) The cabinet shall have the ability to receive funding to hire additional technical and
86	86	56administrative staff, to award contracts and grants, and to take actions necessary to fulfilling its
87	87	57responsibilities stated herein or as otherwise assigned by the governor.
88	88	58 SECTION 2. Chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 official edition,
89	89	59are hereby amended by adding the following three new sections:-
90	90	60 Section 37. (a) Subject to appropriation, the Department of Elementary and Secondary
91	91	61Education shall pay each school district a certification award calculated as follows:
92	92	62 (i) $1,000 for each student in the district who earns an industry-recognized certification
93	93	63for an occupation that has high employment value, as determined by the executive office of labor
94	94	64and workforce development through the publication of the annual list required of it pursuant to
95	95	65Chapter 23, section 26 of the General Laws as amended by Chapter 179 of the Acts of 2022, or
96	96	66an industry recognized certification that is recognized by any public institution of higher learning
97	97	67in the Commonwealth as a basis for academic credit in such institution.
98	98	68 (ii) $800 for each student in the district who earns an industry-recognized certification
99	99	69that does not meet the criteria of the previous paragraph but addresses regional demands
100	100	70identified by the local MassHire workforce board. 5 of 12
101	101	71 The school district receiving a certification award must allocate at least 80% of any
102	102	72certification award to the school whose students obtained the qualifying certification. The
103	103	73allocation may not be used to supplant funds otherwise provided for the basic operation of the
104	104	74school. The school receiving a certification award must use the award to support or maintain the
105	105	75program, including the payment of stipends for instructors and the subsidization of fees for low
106	106	76income students to obtain the certification.
107	107	77 (b) Subject to appropriation, the department may pay a certification development award
108	108	78to a school district to support the development of programs to assist students in obtaining
109	109	79industry-recognized certifications described in subsection (a)(i). School districts may use a
110	110	80certification development award to develop instructors able to prepare students to obtain
111	111	81certification, to obtain equipment and other instructional materials to be used for such
112	112	82preparation, or any other purpose directly related to developing programs to assist students in
113	113	83obtaining a qualifying certification.
114	114	84 (c) The department shall each year prepare an annual report on the progress made under
115	115	85this section including:
116	116	86 (i) The number of public school students who are seeking certifications for high demand
117	117	87occupations, identifying the number of such students who are low-income, ELL and/or SPED.
118	118	88 (ii) The certifications earned by such students, including the number of each such
119	119	89certifications earned.
120	120	90 (iii) An analysis of the extent, if any, to which the funding provided for the program
121	121	91during the year was insufficient to make the awards under this section. 6 of 12
122	122	92 Section 38. The department of elementary and secondary education shall promote and
123	123	93support with available resources innovative and collaborative career technical education
124	124	94demonstration programs in which students split their time between their comprehensive high
125	125	95school and a school offering programs under chapter 74; provided, that under such programs,
126	126	96participating students’ daily schedule shall include required academic classes and vocational
127	127	97courses when the equipment is available.
128	128	98 Section 39. The department shall develop, in consultation with the workforce skills
129	129	99cabinet established in section 1 of this act, credentials for students graduating from the state’s
130	130	100high schools in applied knowledge, effective relationships and workplace skills as described in
131	131	101the federal employability skills framework. The department shall develop and disseminate
132	132	102guidance to districts for their consideration in establishing said employability credentials as
133	133	103graduation or completion requirements.
134	134	104 SECTION 3. (a) Section 2 of chapter 70 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
135	135	105Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 70, the words “or (vii)” and inserting
136	136	106in the place thereof the following words:- (vii) early college / innovation pathways / STEM tech
137	137	107career academies; or (viii).
138	138	108 (b) Table 1 of paragraph (a) of section 3 of said chapter 70, as so appearing, is hereby
139	139	109amended by inserting after row “high school”, the following row:
140	140	110 Administration Instructional Leadership Classroom and Specialist Teachers Other
141	141	111Teaching Services Professional Development Instructional Equipment and Tech Guidance and
142	142	112Psychological Pupil Services Operations and Maintenance Employee Benefits/Fixed Charges
143	143	113Special Ed Tuition Total, all Categories 7 of 12
144	144	114 Early
145	145	115 College/Innovation
146	146	116 Pathways/
147	147	117 STEM Tech
148	148	118 Career Academies 496.93 834.15 4,305.34 656.38 1 135.01 856.65 656.59 530.85 947.43
149	149	1191,610.72 0.00 11,030. 05
150	150	120 SECTION 4. Subsection (c) of section 14B of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as so
151	151	121appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the third sentence and inserting in place thereof the
152	152	122following 2 sentences:-
153	153	123 “Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a city or town may
154	154	124simultaneously be a member of a vocational regional school district and any other type of
155	155	125regional school district. A city or town that belongs to a regional vocational school district may
156	156	126offer a vocational technical education program in its municipal high school; provided, however,
157	157	127that the program is approved under section 2 of chapter 74 of the General Laws; provided,
158	158	128further, that a vocational regional school district and any other type of regional school district
159	159	129serving the same town shall collaborate through the office of career technical education in
160	160	130offering reciprocal non-competitive programs under chapter 74 of the General Laws; provided,
161	161	131further, that said programs meet the labor market needs in a community’s region as determined
162	162	132by Regional Workforce Boards.”
163	163	133 SECTION 5. Chapter 71 of the General Laws is amended by adding the following two
164	164	134new sections:- 8 of 12
165	165	135 Section 100. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the
166	166	136following meanings:
167	167	137 “college and career pathway program”, a high school based program, designated by the
168	168	138department of elementary and secondary education, which offers a sequenced and/or career-
169	169	139themed set of academic and/or work-based learning experiences, including designated early
170	170	140college programs, vocational-technical education programs, innovation pathways programs, and
171	171	141STEM tech career academies which can lead to, in the department’s opinion, improved college
172	172	142and career readiness outcomes.
173	173	143 “individual learning plan”, a plan devised by individual students with assistance from a
174	174	144designated educator that provides a clear and detailed student academic pathway from secondary
175	175	145to post- secondary education or career with regard to coursework, sequencing and experiences
176	176	146beyond the classroom, beginning in the ninth grade or earlier.
177	177	147 “MyCAP”, an acronym for My Career and Academic Plan, a process for creating a
178	178	148student’s individual learning plan as defined in this subsection, and supported by utilization of an
179	179	149online platform,
180	180	150 (b) All public school districts shall ensure that all high school students, beginning in the
181	181	151ninth grade, have developed, with the support of a designated educator and an online platform
182	182	152approved by the department of elementary and secondary education, an individual learning plan
183	183	153as defined in subsection a of this section. Said plans shall allow students to continue to adapt said
184	184	154plans and to make reasonable and relevant changes to their plans through the course of their
185	185	155secondary education that allow for a continuing process of alignment with the student’s needs
186	186	156and planning goals. Districts will provide support to students to participate in the development 9 of 12
187	187	157and refinement of their plans. Districts will also make every reasonable effort to offer students
188	188	158the experiences identified in their plans to ensure alignment with, and accomplishment of, the
189	189	159student’s goals for post-graduate success.
190	190	160 (c) Nothing contained herein will prevent districts from beginning the process of having
191	191	161students develop individual learning plans prior to beginning high school, for students within
192	192	162their jurisdictions.
193	193	163 (d) Districts shall report annually to the department of elementary and secondary
194	194	164education on their progress in meeting the requirements contained in this section.
195	195	165 (e) The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop guidance for
196	196	166districts to oversee and ensure their compliance with the provisions of this section, aligned with
197	197	167their current guidance to districts utilizing the structure of the MyCAP system and its component
198	198	168parts.
199	199	169 Section 101. All public high schools in Massachusetts shall offer at least one foundational
200	200	170computer science course that includes rigorous mathematical or scientific concepts and aligns
201	201	171with standards established by the department of elementary and secondary education. In doing
202	202	172so, each high school will ensure that each student has the capacity to access said course within a
203	203	173four year course of study.
204	204	174 SECTION 6. (a) The workforce skills cabinet, created in SECTION 1, shall be charged
205	205	175with developing a set of strategic goals for the Commonwealth, its agencies and education and
206	206	176training institutions, in coordination with the governor’s office and in consultation with the
207	207	177departments of elementary and secondary education and higher education, regarding the
208	208	178expansion of college and career pathway programs for students that enhance and improve the 10 of 12
209	209	179likelihood of successful outcomes for high school graduates in college and career endeavors. The
210	210	180goals shall include the achievement of universal
211	211	181 access for all of the state’s high school students to said pathway programs, which shall
212	212	182include, but not be limited to, early college programs, vocational/technical education programs,
213	213	183innovation pathway programs, STEM tech career academies, and other similar programs and
214	214	184courses of study. The cabinet will include, in its consideration of the establishment of said goals,
215	215	185that each pathway program should contain at least one, or more, of the following elements:
216	216	186 (i) the ability of students to earn college credit while in high school;
217	217	187 (ii) the ability of students to earn industry-recognized credentials in high school;
218	218	188 (iii) the ability of students to participate in a meaningful and relevant work-based
219	219	189learning experience while in high school; and,
220	220	190 (iv) the ability of students to receive dedicated career counseling while in high school.
221	221	191 (b) The cabinet will develop, in consultation with the governor’s office and the
222	222	192departments of elementary and secondary education and higher education, a plan for the
223	223	193achievement of the goals established in accord with subsection (a) that includes strategies to be
224	224	194implemented, timelines for meeting interim outcomes and final outcome, resources to be
225	225	195allocated, and any other consideration, including an accounting of the persistent inequities
226	226	196inherent in not achieving said goals. The cabinet will report annually on its progress and that of
227	227	197the Commonwealth and its agencies in achieving universal student access to student learning
228	228	198pathways and establish milestone outcomes toward that achievement whose progress will be
229	229	199reported on as part of its annual reporting. 11 of 12
230	230	200 SECTION 7. The department of elementary and secondary education shall conduct a
231	231	201review of all offices, programs and processes under its jurisdiction which are involved in
232	232	202designation and oversight of college and career pathway programs, and act to organize
233	233	203department activities in a way that fosters coordination and uniformity across offices and
234	234	204programs with regard to administration of college and career readiness programs and their
235	235	205respective elements. The department will report to the legislature’s joint committee on education
236	236	206and the ways and means committees of the house and senate by July 1, 2024, as to what actions
237	237	207it has taken, or plans to take, with regard to implementation of the requirements of this section.
238	238	208The department will, as part of its reporting, recommend any changes in statute it deems
239	239	209necessary to facilitate the coordination of college and career readiness initiatives under its
240	240	210jurisdiction.
241	241	211 SECTION 8. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following term shall have the
242	242	212following meaning:
243	243	213 “work-based learning”, an educational method that takes place related to work or a
244	244	214specific career, usually in a workplace, prompting students to learn about the environment in a
245	245	215chosen career path and allowing them to gain exposure to the world of work in ways that help
246	246	216them develop skills that employers value and enhance their opportunity for career success but
247	247	217which may be difficult to acquire in a classroom setting.
248	248	218 (b) The department of elementary and secondary education, in consultation with the
249	249	219workforce skills cabinet created in SECTION 1 of this act, shall conduct a study of the barriers
250	250	220that exist to creating greater student access to meaningful work-based learning opportunities in
251	251	221the state’s public schools. Said study shall address issues such as transportation, employer 12 of 12
252	252	222liability, personnel, scheduling, curriculum, logistics and any other consideration which may be
253	253	223determined to have the effect of limiting opportunities for students to participate in relevant and
254	254	224meaningful work-based learning. The results of said study shall be issued, along with
255	255	225recommendations for actions to expand work-based learning opportunities in the schools of the
256	256	226Commonwealth, as a report to the legislature’s joint committee on education and the ways and
257	257	227means committees of the house and senate by July 1, 2024.
258	258	228 SECTION 9. The department of elementary and secondary education shall require of
259	259	229every public school district a plan for implementing the MassCore curriculum as a requirement
260	260	230for graduation
261	261	231 for all of their students. Said plans shall be submitted to the department no later than
262	262	232December 31, 2024 and shall outline the strategies and timeline for implementation that includes,
263	263	233but need not be limited to, changes to curriculum offerings, staffing needs, financial
264	264	234requirements, scheduling restructuring and data related to the current shortfall, if any, in
265	265	235providing universal access to a MassCore course of studies in said district. Each plan will outline
266	266	236its strategy for universal access to MassCore for all of its students to be implemented no later
267	267	237than for the class of 2030.
268	268	238 SECTION 10. Section 5 of this act will take effect on September 1, 2026.