SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2611 FILED ON: 1/21/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
John J. Cronin
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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 increasing access for vulnerable students.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: |
John J. Cronin | Worcester and Middlesex |
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2611 FILED ON: 1/21/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
By Mr. Cronin, a petition (accompanied by bill) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of John J. Cronin relative to access to certain schools for vulnerable students. Education. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 550 OF 2023-2024.]
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 relative to increasing access for vulnerable students.
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. Subsection (n) of section 89 of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the second paragraph the following paragraph:-
Subject to regulations promulgated by the board, commonwealth charter schools may voluntarily offer enrollment preferences to certain high needs students, including but not limited to, students with special needs, English learners, students in foster care or previously in foster care, or other at-risk students, and may enroll said students at any time during the school year. Said enrollment preferences shall apply both to students who are admitted through the lottery and students admitted off of the waitlist pursuant to this section.
SECTION 2. The board of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this act. At a minimum, such regulations shall define the specific student subgroups that will be eligible for enrollment preferences authorized under Section 1, and the process for implementing said enrollment preferences; provided that students experiencing homelessness and students who have been identified as Students with Emergency Resettlement Status may be included in the list of specific student subgroups that will be eligible for said enrollment preferences.