HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4366

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, August 7, 2025.

The committee on Education, to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 533) of Manny Cruz for legislation to expand the use of career and academic plans, reports recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No. 4366) ought to pass.

For the committee,

KENNETH I. GORDON.

        FILED ON: 7/29/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4366

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act to expand the use of career and academic plans.

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

Chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 official edition, is amended by adding the following new section:-

Section 100. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

“college and career pathway program”, a high school based program, designated by the department of elementary and secondary education, that offers a sequenced and/or career-themed set of academic and/or work-based learning experiences, including designated early college programs, vocational-technical education programs, innovation pathways programs, and STEM tech career academies which can lead to, in the department’s opinion, improved college and career readiness outcomes.

“individual learning plan”, a plan devised by individual students with assistance from a designated educator that provides a clear and detailed student academic pathway from secondary to post- secondary education or career with regard to coursework, sequencing and experiences beyond the classroom, beginning in the ninth grade or earlier.

“MyCAP”, an acronym for My Career and Academic Plan, a process for creating a student’s individual learning plan as defined in this subsection, and supported by utilization of an online platform,

(b) All public school districts shall ensure that all high school students, beginning in the ninth grade, have developed, with the support of a designated educator and an online platform approved by the department of elementary and secondary education, an individual learning plan as defined in subsection a of this section. Said plans shall allow students to continue to adapt said plans and to make reasonable and relevant changes to their plans through the course of their secondary education that allow for a continuing process of alignment with the student’s needs and planning goals. Districts will provide support to students to participate in the development and refinement of their plans.

(c) Nothing contained herein shall interfere with districts developing individual student learning plans prior to beginning high school.

(d) Districts shall report annually to the department of elementary and secondary education on their progress in meeting the requirements contained in this section.

(e) The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop guidance for districts to oversee and ensure its compliance with the provisions of this section, aligned with guidance to districts utilizing the structure of the MyCAP system and its component parts.

(f) This section will take effect on September 1, 2028.