HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2810        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 468

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Carmine Lawrence Gentile and Paul Brodeur

_________________

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 resolve:

Resolve creating a special commission to study school starting times and schedules.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

1/15/2019

Paul Brodeur

32nd Middlesex

1/29/2019

James Arciero

2nd Middlesex

2/1/2019

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

1/25/2019

William N. Brownsberger

Second Suffolk and Middlesex

1/29/2019

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

2/1/2019

Daniel R. Cullinane

12th Suffolk

1/29/2019

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

2/1/2019

David F. DeCoste

5th Plymouth

1/24/2019

Diana DiZoglio

First Essex

1/28/2019

Shawn Dooley

9th Norfolk

1/22/2019

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

1/28/2019

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

1/30/2019

Dylan A. Fernandes

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

1/28/2019

Denise C. Garlick

13th Norfolk

1/30/2019

Carlos González

10th Hampden

2/1/2019

Danielle W. Gregoire

4th Middlesex

2/1/2019

Richard M. Haggerty

30th Middlesex

1/28/2019

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

2/2/2019

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

1/28/2019

Patrick Joseph Kearney

4th Plymouth

2/1/2019

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

1/30/2019

James M. Kelcourse

1st Essex

1/30/2019

Kathleen R. LaNatra

12th Plymouth

1/30/2019

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

1/28/2019

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

2/1/2019

David Paul Linsky

5th Middlesex

1/25/2019

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

1/31/2019

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

1/30/2019

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

1/28/2019

Tram T. Nguyen

18th Essex

1/27/2019

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

1/31/2019

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

1/30/2019

Maria Duaime Robinson

6th Middlesex

1/21/2019

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

1/28/2019

John H. Rogers

12th Norfolk

2/1/2019

Jon Santiago

9th Suffolk

1/31/2019

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

1/25/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2810        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 468

By Messrs. Gentile of Sudbury and Brodeur of Melrose, a petition (accompanied by resolve, House, No. 468) of Carmine Lawrence Gentile, Paul Brodeur and others for the establishment of a special commission (including members of the General Court) to study school starting times and schedules.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

Resolve creating a special commission to study school starting times and schedules.

 

Resolved, there shall be a special commission established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to review the health, safety and academic impact of deficient sleep in adolescents; summarize the scientific literature supporting later school start times as an important public health measure to mitigate those effects; and identify and generate concrete solutions to potential challenges faced by school districts in Massachusetts in changing school start times. The commission shall: (i) conduct a review of the scientific findings relative to sleep needs of adolescents and the effect that middle school and secondary school day start times have on the health and academic performance of students; (ii) determine the number of districts in the commonwealth that have implemented later school day start times for middle schools and secondary schools and examine the health and safety impacts and academic performance of students, including performance on statewide tests; (iii) identify resources and opportunities to assist districts in implementing minimum standards for healthy school day start times for middle schools and secondary schools consistent with the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics; and (iv) recommend legislation as required to implement said recommendations.

The commission shall consist of: 2 members of the senate, 1 of whom shall serve as co-chair; 2 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall serve as co-chair; the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or a designee; the secretary of health and human services or a designee; a medical doctor specializing in sleep medicine from Boston Children’s Hospital; the President of the American Psychological Association or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Inc. or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc. or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts Secondary Schools Administration Association, Inc. or a designee; the Massachusetts Chapter Leader of Start School Later, Inc. or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials, Inc. or a designee; a representative from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine; a representative from the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics; a parent of a high school student who is a member of a school council, as defined in section 59C of chapter 71 of the General Laws; a superintendent from a district which has implemented later school day start times; a representative of a school bus transportation organization; an individual representing the interests of students with disabilities.

The commission shall convene not later than 60 days after the effective date of this act.

The board shall submit a report, detailing the results of its investigation and study, any recommended legislative or regulatory action and a timeline for implementation to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the clerks of the house of representatives and senate not later than 180 days after the effective date of this act.