HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3311        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 352

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Antonio F. D. Cabral

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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 improve early education.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3311        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 352

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act to improve early education.

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.  Section 1A of Chapter 15D of the general laws, as appearing in the 2010 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting in line 135 the following:-

“Non-public preschools,” early education and care programs and services provided to preschool-aged children by private, non-profit and for-profit preschools, child care centers, nursery schools, preschools operating within non-public schools, Head Start programs and independent and system affiliated family child care homes. 

SECTION 2. In Section 1D of Chapter 69 of the general laws, as appearing in the 2010 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following after line 115:-

The commissioner shall collaborate with the Commissioner of the Department of Early Education and Care to develop age appropriate curriculum guidelines and or academic standards for preschool-aged children, as defined in Section 1A of Chapter 15D.  The standards shall be formulated to enhance the school children’s ability to make age appropriate progress and development of cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional and physical capacities and school readiness based on curriculum, and shall be constructed with due regard to the work and recommendations of national organizations. 

SECTION 3.  Section 7 (a) of Chapter 15D of the general laws, as appearing in the 2010 official edition, is hereby amended in line 5 by inserting after “maintenance of” the following: "a non-public preschool,".

SECTION 4. Chapter 15D of the general laws, as appearing in the 2010 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following sections:-

Section 17.  The department shall establish a voluntary State Approved Curriculum Certification for non-public preschools.  Participating preschools shall agree to adhere to the curriculum guidelines and or academic standards promulgated pursuant to Section 1D of Chapter 69. The department shall establish a process to certify and monitor participating preschools to ensure that curriculum guidelines and or academic standards have been consistently and effectively incorporated into participating programs. The department shall maintain an updated list of all preschools that have received the State Approved Curriculum Certification. The list shall be available on the department’s website and upon request to any member of the public in both paper and electronic format.

Section 18. On or after August 1, 2020 all preschools certified pursuant to Section 17 shall have at least one educator who holds a bachelor’s degree in a related field or both an associate’s degree in a related field and a practicum or equivalent work experience in early education.