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