1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1108 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 726
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Chynah Tyler
_________________
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 to establish a community schools special legislative commission.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Chynah Tyler7th Suffolk1/14/2025 1 of 4
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1108 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 726
By Representative Tyler of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 726) of Chynah
Tyler for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) to
investigate community schools and to make recommendations regarding the adoption of
community schools. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
An Act to establish a community schools special legislative commission.
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 XX
2 (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires
3otherwise, have the following meanings:
4 (i) “Community School”, a public school that utilizes a community school coordinator to
5facilitate the establishment of a set of strategic partnerships between the school and other
6community resources that leverage shared accountability, collaborative leadership, capacity
7building, and family and community engagement, to promote student achievement, and the well-
8being of students, families, educators, and neighborhood residents through a variety of engaging
9practices including the provision of wraparound services.
10 (ii) “Community Schools strategy”, a strategy that transforms a school into a community
11school where educators, local community members, families, and students work together to 2 of 4
12establish shared vision and goals to strengthen conditions for student learning and healthy
13development, including but not limited to the organization of in- and out-of-school resources,
14supports, and student opportunities.
15 (b) There shall be a special legislative commission on community schools, hereinafter
16referred to as the commission, to investigate community schools and to make recommendations
17regarding the adoption of community schools across the commonwealth. The special legislative
18commission shall consist of 15 members: the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on
19education, or their designee, who shall serve as co-chairs; the secretary of Education or a
20designee; the secretary of Health and Human services or a designee; 1 representative from the
21Massachusetts Community Schools Coalition; 1 representative from the American Federation of
22Teachers Massachusetts; 1 representative from Massachusetts Teachers Association; 1
23representative from United Way of Massachusetts Bay; and 7 members to be appointed by the
24Governor: 2 of whom shall be student representatives from existing Massachusetts community
25schools, 1
26 of whom shall be a parent representative from an existing Massachusetts community
27schools, 1
28 of whom shall be a superintendent from a Massachusetts district employing community
29school strategies, 1 of whom shall be a principal of a Massachusetts community school, 1 of
30whom shall be a Massachusetts community school coordinator, and 1 of whom shall be a
31member who represents a community based organization. In making such appointments, the
32Governor shall consider rural, urban, and suburban geographic representation across the
33commission. 3 of 4
34 (c) The commission shall: (i) analyze systems, structures, and policies that support
35successful community school implementation models and trends in community school model
36adoption across different jurisdictions in the Commonwealth and nationwide; (ii) investigate the
37policies of other such jurisdictions intended to support and incentivize community school model
38adoption, (iii) provide an assessment of community school adoption, implementation, and
39outcomes in Massachusetts; (iv) define the essential elements and principles of implementing
40community school models, including but not limited to as an equity strategy; (v) research the
41outcomes and evidence associated with community schools model adoption, including but not
42limited to reductions in school absenteeism; (vi) investigate the policies of other jurisdictions
43intended to support and incentivize community school adoption; (vii) identify any existing
44barriers, including but not limited to legal, regulatory, information and training, or funding
45barriers for Massachusetts schools to successfully adopt and implement community school
46strategies. The commission shall meet not less than once every two months.
47 (d) The commission shall develop a report of its findings and include specific
48recommendations in response to such findings, including any legislative or regulatory changes
49necessary for the Commonwealth to implement the commission’s recommendations. At a
50minimum, such report shall include: (i) an overview of the findings of the commission’s work
51pursuant to subsection (b), including but not limited to policy recommendations relative to
52codifying definitions relative to community schools; adopting policies and funding strategies to
53incentivize statewide adoption of community school strategies; and, creating sustainable funding
54streams in support of local district and school-level adoption and implementation of community
55school strategies; (ii) recommendations for a statewide community school pilot program
56including, but not limited to: (1) the number and nature of eligible communities to participate in 4 of 4
57the pilot program, (2) the resources necessary to support the pilot program, (3) the process by
58which pilot funding should be awarded, and (4) the data and outcomes reporting requirements
59and criteria for the evaluation of the pilot program and its participants. The commission shall file
60its report with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, the senate and house
61committees on ways and means, the joint committee on education, the office of the governor, and
62the executive office of education not later than February 15, 2026.