HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2351        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3920

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Paul McMurtry

_________________

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 promoting high school graduation in the commonwealth.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

1/17/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2351        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3920

By Mr. McMurtry of Dedham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3920) of Paul McMurtry for legislation to authorize certain special education students to obtain high school graduation after the age of twenty-two years.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

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An Act promoting high school graduation in the commonwealth.

 

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

Chapter 71B of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 12C the following section:-

12D.  Notwithstanding sections 12A to 12C, inclusive, or any general or special law to the contrary, an education authority may permit a student receiving special education under the provisions of this chapter who has reached 22 years of age to continue such education through graduation from high school if the education authority and the department of elementary and secondary education, hereinafter the department, deem it to be appropriate and in the best interests of the student and the school. The education authority shall submit a proposal to the department to continue the student’s special education past the age of 22, and shall include the reasons for continuing such special education. The department shall, within 30 days of receipt of such proposal, issue a written determination approving or denying such proposal to extend special education until graduation; provided, that the department shall approve the proposal for continuing education if the proposal sufficiently shows that continuing the student’s special education is in the best interest of the student and the school; and provided, further that the department shall provide detailed reasons for denying any such proposal and the education authority shall have an opportunity to resubmit the proposal addressing the department’s reasons. This section shall not effect a disabled person’s eligibility for continuing habilitative services pursuant to section 12C, and the development of a transitional plan under sections 12A to 12C, inclusive.