HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2136        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 577

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Danillo A. Sena

_________________

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 establishing an elementary and secondary school robotics grant program.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Danillo A. Sena

37th Middlesex

1/19/2023

John C. Velis

Hampden and Hampshire

1/19/2023

Ryan C. Fattman

Worcester and Hampden

2/24/2023

Bud L. Williams

11th Hampden

3/17/2023

James Arciero

2nd Middlesex

3/31/2023

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

4/5/2023

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

5/2/2023

Jessica Ann Giannino

16th Suffolk

5/2/2023

Steven Owens

29th Middlesex

6/26/2023

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

6/27/2023

Simon Cataldo

14th Middlesex

6/28/2023

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

6/28/2023

Daniel M. Donahue

16th Worcester

6/28/2023

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

7/6/2023

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

10/27/2023

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

11/3/2023

Jacob R. Oliveira

Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester

11/6/2023

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

11/8/2023

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

11/15/2023

John Barrett, III

1st Berkshire

11/27/2023

Judith A. Garcia

11th Suffolk

11/29/2023

Kate Donaghue

19th Worcester

11/29/2023

Adam Scanlon

14th Bristol

11/29/2023

David T. Vieira

3rd Barnstable

12/5/2023

Samantha Montaño

15th Suffolk

12/11/2023

Margaret R. Scarsdale

1st Middlesex

2/1/2024


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2136        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 577

By Representative Sena of Acton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 577) of Danillo A. Sena, John C. Velis and Ryan C. Fattman for legislation to establish an elementary and secondary school robotics grant program.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act establishing an elementary and secondary school robotics grant program.

 

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

Chapter 15 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 67. (a) The department of education, hereinafter referred to as the department, shall establish a grant program, subject to appropriation, to be known as the elementary and secondary robotics grant program for the purpose of providing grants to assist school districts, Horace Mann and commonwealth charter schools with the development of STEM and robotics programs in schools. The grants shall be used to help students succeed academically and attend colleges with a major in science, technology, engineering and math. The grants shall help prepare students for a workforce in STEM and robotics. The grants shall also encourage voluntary expansion of existing STEM and robotics programs in the commonwealth. The department shall develop guidelines governing the grant program and guidelines for implementation of said program. 

(b) Applicants shall be commonwealth school districts, Horace Mann and commonwealth charter schools. Schools without a sponsored robotics club or established robotics program shall be given preference for grant awards. Priority shall be given to schools located in the following counties: Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, Bristol, Barnstable and Dukes. Applicants shall commit to running a team registered with one of the following organizations: FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge, FIRST Lego League Explore, FIRST Lego League Challenge, VEX Robotics Competition, VEX IQ Challenge or Science Olympiad, or approved by the commissioner.

(c) The commissioner shall evaluate annually programs established under this section including the potential for replicating such programs throughout the commonwealth. The commissioner shall also provide technical assistance to school districts seeking to replicate programs funded under said section.