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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2060 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 409
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Paul W. Mark
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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.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Paul W. MarkBerkshire, Hampden, Franklin and
Hampshire 1 of 4
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2060 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 409
By Mr. Mark, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 409) of Paul W. Mark for legislation
to establish a community schools special legislative commission to investigate community
schools and to make recommendations regarding the adoption of community schools across the
commonwealth. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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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 1. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context
2clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
3 (i) “Community School”, a public school that utilizes a community school coordinator to
4facilitate the establishment of a set of strategic partnerships between the school and other
5community resources that leverage shared accountability, collaborative leadership, capacity
6building, and family and community engagement, to promote student achievement, and the well-
7being of students, families, educators, and neighborhood residents through a variety of engaging
8practices including the provision of wraparound services.
9 (ii) “Community Schools strategy”, a strategy that transforms a school into a community
10school where educators, local community members, families, and students work together to
11establish shared vision and goals to strengthen conditions for student learning and healthy 2 of 4
12development, including but not limited to the organization of in- and out-of-school resources,
13supports, and student opportunities.
14 (b) There shall be a special legislative commission on community schools, hereinafter
15referred to as the commission, to investigate community schools and to make recommendations
16regarding the adoption of community schools across the commonwealth. The special legislative
17commission shall consist of 15 members: the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on
18education, or their designee, who shall serve as co-chairs; the secretary of Education or a
19designee; the secretary of Health and Human services or a designee; 1 representative from the
20Massachusetts Community Schools Coalition; 1 representative from the American Federation of
21Teachers Massachusetts; 1 representative from Massachusetts Teachers Association; 1
22representative from United Way of Massachusetts Bay; and 7 members to be appointed by the
23Governor: 2 of whom shall be student representatives from existing Massachusetts community
24schools, 1 of whom shall be a parent representative from an existing Massachusetts community
25schools, 1 of whom shall be a superintendent from a Massachusetts district employing
26community school strategies, 1 of whom shall be a principal of a Massachusetts community
27school, 1 of whom shall be a Massachusetts community school coordinator, and 1 of whom shall
28be a member who represents a community based organization. In making such appointments, the
29Governor shall consider rural, urban, and suburban geographic representation across the
30commission.
31 (c) The commission shall: (i) analyze systems, structures, and policies that support
32successful community school implementation models and trends in community school model
33adoption across different jurisdictions in the Commonwealth and nationwide; (ii) investigate the
34policies of other such jurisdictions intended to support and incentivize community school model 3 of 4
35adoption, (iii) provide an assessment of community school adoption, implementation, and
36outcomes in Massachusetts; (iv) define the essential elements and principles of implementing
37community school models, including but not limited to as an equity strategy; (v) research the
38outcomes and evidence associated with community schools model adoption, including but not
39limited to reductions in school absenteeism; (vi) investigate the policies of other jurisdictions
40intended to support and incentivize community school adoption; (vii) identify any existing
41barriers, including but not limited to legal, regulatory, information and training, or funding
42barriers for Massachusetts schools to successfully adopt and implement community school
43strategies. The commission shall meet not less than once every two months.
44 (d) The commission shall develop a report of its findings and include specific
45recommendations in response to such findings, including any legislative or regulatory changes
46necessary for the Commonwealth to implement the commission’s recommendations. At a
47minimum, such report shall include: (i) an overview of the findings of the commission’s work
48pursuant to subsection (b), including but not limited to policy recommendations relative to
49codifying definitions relative to community schools; adopting policies and funding strategies to
50incentivize statewide adoption of community school strategies; and, creating sustainable funding
51streams in support of local district and school-level adoption and implementation of community
52school strategies; (ii) recommendations for a statewide community school pilot program
53including, but not limited to: (1) the number and nature of eligible communities to participate in
54the pilot program, (2) the resources necessary to support the pilot program, (3) the process by
55which pilot funding should be awarded, and (4) the data and outcomes reporting requirements
56and criteria for the evaluation of the pilot program and its participants. The commission shall file
57its report with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, the senate and house 4 of 4
58committees on ways and means, the joint committee on education, the office of the governor, and
59the executive office of education not later than February 15, 2026.