HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 406        FILED ON: 1/21/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 627

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bradley H. Jones, 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 non-academic surveys administered in a public school.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

1/21/2021

Mathew J. Muratore

1st Plymouth

3/24/2021

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

4/7/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 406        FILED ON: 1/21/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 627

By Mr. Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 627) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., Mathew J. Muratore and Steven S. Howitt for legislation to require school districts to adopt a policy governing the administration of non-academic surveys or questionnaires to students.  Education.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 506 OF 2019-2020.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to non-academic surveys administered in a public school.

 

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 or regulation to the contrary, each school district shall adopt a policy governing the administration of non-academic surveys or questionnaires to students.  The policy shall require school districts to notify a parent or legal guardian of a non-academic survey or questionnaire and its purpose.  The policy shall provide that no student shall be required to volunteer for or submit to a non-academic survey or questionnaire, as defined in this paragraph, without written consent of a parent or legal guardian unless the student is an adult or an emancipated minor. The school district shall make such surveys or questionnaires available, at the school and on the school or school district's website, and for review by a student's parent or legal guardian at least 10 days prior to distribution to students.  The policy shall also allow a parent or legal guardian to opt out of the non-academic survey or questionnaire either in writing or electronically. For the purposes of this paragraph, "non-academic survey or questionnaire'' shall mean surveys, questionnaires, or other documents designed to elicit information about a student's social behavior, family life, religion, politics, sexual orientation, sexual activity, drug use, or any other information not related to a student's academics.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.