HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2950        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3604

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Thomas A. Golden, Jr.

_________________

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 relative to online education for high school students for college credit.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Thomas A. Golden, Jr.

16th Middlesex

1/17/2019

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

3/15/2019

Paul Brodeur

32nd Middlesex

3/18/2019

David F. DeCoste

5th Plymouth

3/18/2019

Ann-Margaret Ferrante

5th Essex

3/19/2019

Carole A. Fiola

6th Bristol

3/14/2019

Kate Hogan

3rd Middlesex

3/18/2019

Russell E. Holmes

6th Suffolk

3/14/2019

Lenny Mirra

2nd Essex

3/18/2019

Maria Duaime Robinson

6th Middlesex

3/19/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2950        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3604

By Mr. Golden of Lowell, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3604) of Thomas A. Golden, Jr., and others that the Department of Higher Education conduct a study evaluating the availability of online courses offered as part of a dual enrollment program hosted by certified institutions of higher education located in the Commonwealth.  Higher Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act relative to online education for high school students for college credit.

 

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

(a) The department of higher education shall conduct a study evaluating the availability of online courses that are offered as part of a dual enrollment program hosted by a certified institution of higher education located in the commonwealth. 

(b) The  study shall: (i) analyze the availability of such courses during the months of May, June, July, and August; (ii) identify areas of the commonwealth with inadequate access to such courses; (iii) take into account any standards or guidelines established by other state governments regarding online dual enrollment; and (iv) determine whether inadequate access to such courses disproportionately affects municipalities with a rate of educational attainment of a bachelor’s degree or above that is below the commonwealth’s average, a population greater than 35,000 and less than 250,000, and a median household income below the commonwealth's average. 

(c) The study shall provide recommendations to expand the availability of online courses in the commonwealth. If in conducting the study, the department determines that there have been any disproportionate impacts to the municipalities described in clause (iv) of subsection (b), the department shall consider targeted measures to expand the availability of such courses in those areas, and shall provide such recommendations in the study. 

(d) Within 180 days after the effective date of this act, the department shall submit a report on its findings to the clerks of the house of representatives and senate, the chairs of the joint committee on education and the chairs of the joint committee on higher education.