HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 337 FILED ON: 1/9/2009
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 501
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the Year Two Thousand Nine
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An Act relative to promoting excellence and accountability for the education of mobile student populations..
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Whereas state education aid to Massachusetts cities and towns should more accurately reflect district demographics by creating provisions to fund expenses related to mobile student enrollment,
Therefore,
SECTION 2. Section 2 of Chapter 70 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting the following definition:
“Mobile student”, any student who has been enrolled in a public school district for less than one academic year.
SECTION 3. Section 2 of Chapter 70 of the General Laws is hereby further amended by inserting the following definition:
“Mobile student enrollment”, in any fiscal year, the average of the three previous fiscal years of the number of mobile students enrolled in the school district.
SECTION 4. Section 2 of Chapter 70 of the General Laws is hereby further amended by inserting in the definition of “Foundation miscellaneous expenses,” after the word “staff” the following:
“plus (d) one thousand dollars multiplied by the mobile student enrollment.”
SECTION 5. Section 1I of Chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding after the word “district” in line 163 the following line:-
(j) the number of mobile students and also, when attainable, the reason for student transfer
SECTION 6. Section 1I of Chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby further amended by inserting after paragraph 12 the following new paragraph:-
The department of education shall study the impact of the rate of student mobility on adequate yearly progress determinations for all school districts and shall issue a report of their findings as well as an annual report of MCAS test results by school district comparing test results between (a) the non-mobile student population and (b) the mobile student population.
SECTION 7. Chapter 69 of the General Laws is hereby further amended by adding the following section:-
Section 1N. Subject to appropriation, the department of education shall develop a pilot grant program to selected high mobility school districts for the purpose of developing and implementing programs to ensure the successful transition and academic success of mobile students. Grants shall be awarded to school districts for programs designed to (a) provide welcome and transition assistance programs for mobile students; (b) provide tutoring in core content and ESOL; (c) assess the impact of mobile students on non-mobile student academic success; (d) provide guidance and support services targeted to mobile students; and (e) other programs determined by the department of education to meet the needs of mobile students and school districts with high mobility populations. The department of education may promulgate regulations as necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.