Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S438 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. 1464 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 438
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Pavel M. Payano
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 expand the use of career and academic plans.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Pavel M. PayanoFirst Essex 1 of 3
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1464 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 438
18	18	By Mr. Payano, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 438) of Pavel M. Payano for
19	19	legislation relative to individual learning plans for students. Education.
20	20	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
21	21	_______________
22	22	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
23	23	(2025-2026)
24	24	_______________
25	25	An Act to expand the use of career and academic plans.
26	26	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
27	27	of the same, as follows:
28	28	1 Chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 official edition, is amended by
29	29	2adding the following new section:-
30	30	3 Section 100. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the
31	31	4following meanings:
32	32	5 “college and career pathway program”, a high school based program, designated by the
33	33	6department of elementary and secondary education, which offers a sequenced and/or career-
34	34	7themed set of academic and/or work-based learning experiences, including designated early
35	35	8college programs, vocational-technical education programs, innovation pathways programs, and
36	36	9STEM tech career academies which can lead to, in the department’s opinion, improved college
37	37	10and career readiness outcomes.
38	38	11 “individual learning plan”, a plan devised by individual students with assistance from a
39	39	12designated educator that provides a clear and detailed student academic pathway from secondary 2 of 3
40	40	13to post- secondary education or career with regard to coursework, sequencing and experiences
41	41	14beyond the classroom, beginning in the ninth grade or earlier.
42	42	15 “MyCAP”, an acronym for My Career and Academic Plan, a process for creating a
43	43	16student’s individual learning plan as defined in this subsection, and supported by utilization of an
44	44	17online platform,
45	45	18 (b) All public school districts shall ensure that all high school students, beginning in the
46	46	19ninth grade, have developed, with the support of a designated educator and an online platform
47	47	20approved by the department of elementary and secondary education, an individual learning plan
48	48	21as defined in subsection a of this section. Said plans shall allow students to continue to adapt said
49	49	22plans and to make reasonable and relevant changes to their plans through the course of their
50	50	23secondary education that allow for a continuing process of alignment with the student’s needs
51	51	24and planning goals. Districts will provide support to students to participate in the development
52	52	25and refinement of their plans. Districts will also make every reasonable effort to offer students
53	53	26the experiences identified in their plans to ensure alignment with, and accomplishment of, the
54	54	27student’s goals for post-graduate success.
55	55	28 (c) Nothing contained herein will prevent districts from beginning the process of having
56	56	29students develop individual learning plans prior to beginning high school, for students within
57	57	30their jurisdictions.
58	58	31 (d) Districts shall report annually to the department of elementary and secondary
59	59	32education on their progress in meeting the requirements contained in this section.
60	60	33 (e) The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop guidance for
61	61	34districts to oversee and ensure their compliance with the provisions of this section, aligned with 3 of 3
62	62	35their current guidance to districts utilizing the structure of the MyCAP system and its component
63	63	36parts.
64	64	37 (f) This section will take effect on September 1, 2028.