HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1058        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 599

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Steven Ultrino

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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 high school professional development programs.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1058        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 599

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4844 OF 2021-2022.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act relative to high school professional development programs.

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. Chapter 69 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 1T as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, the following section:-

Section 1U. The department shall establish program standards for a high school professional development program providing rigorous, ongoing professional development to high school students, which shall include: (1) qualifications for professional development instructors; (2) training for professional development instructors to identify individual student professional development needs; (3) different models of professional development, as needed to meet student population professional development needs; (4) student access to professional development programs remotely or in person; (5) a comprehensive feedback system to plan, evaluate and improve on student professional development offerings; and (6) the opportunity for students to develop professional relationships with organizations and individuals outside the students’ school. The department shall approve any high school professional development program established by a school district that meets the department’s program standards.

SECTION 2. Section 1 of chapter 76 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the third sentence the following sentence:- In addition to all other absences excused by this section, or any other absence that constitutes an excused absence under the school or school committee’s rules, the superintendent, or teachers in so far as authorized by the superintendent or by the school committee, shall excuse 1 absence for a supervised professional development day each school year for high school students.