HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3940        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1334

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Thomas A. Golden, Jr.

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

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3940        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1334

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3604 OF 2019-2020.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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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.