Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S331 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2116 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 331
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	John J. Cronin
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 student access and return on investment of college and career pathways
13	13	programs.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John J. CroninWorcester and Middlesex 1 of 2
17	17	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2116 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
18	18	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 331
19	19	By Mr. Cronin, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 331) of John J. Cronin for
20	20	legislation to conduct a biannual audit on college and career pathways programs. 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 student access and return on investment of college and career pathways
27	27	programs.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 6A of the General laws, as appearing in the 2018 official edition, is
31	31	2hereby amended by inserting, after Section 14A, the following section:-
32	32	3 Section 14B. (a) The secretary of the executive office of education, in collaboration with
33	33	4the secretary of the executive office of labor and workforce development and the secretary of the
34	34	5executive office of housing and economic development, shall conduct a biennial return on
35	35	6investment audit report of the state’s public education high school college and career pathways
36	36	7programs that shall determine the alignment of existing career pathways offerings, including
37	37	8career technical education and vocational programs, with state and regional labor market plans,
38	38	9employer demand, postsecondary degree or certificate programs, and industry-valued credentials.
39	39	10Said audit report shall a) identify the pathways offerings that are linked to high-skill, higher-
40	40	11wage, in-demand occupations; b) evaluate student participation and outcomes (such as
41	41	12postsecondary attainment, employment status, and wage earnings) associated with each pathways 2 of 2
42	42	13program; c) provide information that can be used to identify career pathway programs that are
43	43	14not aligned with labor market need and provide recommendations for phasing out said programs
44	44	15with a plan for shifting resources to pathway programs necessary to ensure the state’s future
45	45	16competitiveness; d) provide information about the availability, quality and student outcomes of
46	46	17pathways offerings to support student and their families in making informed decisions about
47	47	18their educational options. This audit report should include an analysis regarding the equity of
48	48	19access to college and career pathways programs in the state’s public high schools and
49	49	20recommendations for improving access to all student groups regardless of student background or
50	50	21geographic location. The audit report shall include recommendations to improve labor market
51	51	22alignment, quality, student access and outcomes, and operational efficiencies across the state’s
52	52	23pathways program offerings. The report shall be made available to the public and presented to
53	53	24the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as well as the legislature’s joint
54	54	25committee on education.