SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1421        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 302

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Eric P. Lesser

_________________

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 calling for a comprehensive study of vocational education in the Commonwealth.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Eric P. Lesser

First Hampden and Hampshire

 

Donald F. Humason, Jr.

Second Hampden and Hampshire

2/1/2019

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

1/30/2019

Mindy Domb

3rd Hampshire

2/1/2019


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1421        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 302

By Mr. Lesser, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 302) of Eric P. Lesser, Donald F. Humason, Jr., José F. Tosado and Mindy Domb for legislation to call for a comprehensive study of vocational education in the Commonwealth.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act calling for a comprehensive study of vocational education 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:
 

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of elementary and secondary education shall conduct a study to evaluate the availability of high quality, chapter 74-approved vocational education programs in all regions of the Commonwealth. The study shall include, but not be limited to: (1) whether students in all municipalities and school districts have reasonable access to vocational programs; (2) whether students in all municipalities have access to adequate transportation to vocational education programs; (3) whether regional and in-district vocational education programs have access to acceptable equipment; (4) whether regional and in-district regional vocational education programs have adequate oversight and accountability measures in place; and (5) whether regions with a strong presence of a certain industry have adequate vocational education programs relating to said industry.

If the department determines that access to, or oversight of, vocational education is inadequate, the department, in consultation with the Massachusetts school building authority, shall submit a report to the clerks of the house and senate detailing the areas in which access is inadequate and an estimate of the cost of establishing new vocational programs to meet the unmet demand.