SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1647        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 250

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act creating the after school and out of school time coordinating council..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 15 of the Massachusetts General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 65 the following section:

Section 66

There is established within the Executive Office of Education a Massachusetts Afterschool and Out-Of-School Time Coordinating Council, which shall not be subject to the control of the Executive Office of Education except as provided by this section.  The purpose of the council shall be to improve and increase the access of children and youth to positive development opportunities in their non-school hours.  The council shall review existing state and local programs and policies and make recommendations to strengthen afterschool and out-of-school time programs.  Efforts of the council shall include, but not be limited to; exploration of new revenue streams at federal, state, municipal and private levels to increase access and quality of programs; creation of a centralized on-line listing of federal, state, local and private funding; increasing public awareness of the importance of afterschool and out-of-school time programs; improving quality and building support throughout the workforce; creating a workforce development program  based on national models; fostering partnerships and collaborations; increasing access to programs and encouraging public and private support that will work to build a sustainable infrastructure for afterschool and out-of-school time programs.

The council shall consist of twenty-one members appointed by the governor, including the Secretary of Education, who shall act as co-chair, state and municipal  representatives from public safety, family and youth services, libraries, parks and recreation departments, art, workforce development, higher education, as well as leaders from public and private schools, community and faith based afterschool and out-of-school time programs, youth representatives, private funders, the business community and parents; eight members appointed by the Legislature including; 1 member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives who shall act as co-chair, 1 member appointed by the senate president who shall act as co-chair, the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means or their designees, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on education or their designees, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on children and families or their designees.

Of the members appointed by the governor hereunder, seven shall be appointed for a term of one year, four for a term of two years, four for a term of three years, three for a term of four years and three for a term of five years.  Upon expiration of the term of a member appointed by the governor, his successor shall be appointed in a like manner for a term of five years.

The council shall meet as often as deemed necessary by the co-chairs or a majority of the council, but shall not meet less frequently than 6 times a year.  The Secretary of the Executive Office of Education shall appoint personnel necessary to coordinate the activities of the council, and provide administrative support to the council, as requested.  The council shall, (1) develop, coordinate and implement a state afterschool and out-of-school time system, including aligning the efforts of the department of elementary and secondary education; the department early education and care; (2) make recommendations regarding any state legislation and regulations that would affect the afterschool and out-of-school time system of the Commonwealth in light of the goals of the council and, (3) prepare and submit an annual progress report to the Governor, the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, and the Joint Committee on Education, concerning the council’s activities with appropriate recommendations concerning afterschool and out-of-school time programs.