Amendment #679 to H3800

STEM-Based Service Learning

Representatives Gentile of Sudbury, Whelan of Brewster, McMurtry of Dedham, Whipps of Athol, Keefe of Worcester, Ashe of Longmeadow, Lewis of Framingham and Santiago of Boston move to amend the bill by adding the following section:

"SECTION  XXXX.

Chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2019 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 36 the following section:-

Section 37. The department of elementary and secondary education shall establish a grant program, subject to appropriation, to support the development and expansion of high quality, Service Learning based in science, technology, engineering and mathematics programming for high quality after school and out of school time programs.

The Department shall identify and certify high quality service learning curricula provided that the curricula includes; (i) opportunities for children to participate in meaningful service to their community; (ii) opportunities for children to reflect on the activities and analyze the child's relationship to society; (iii) promotes an understanding of diversity; (iv) provides youth with a strong voice in planning implementing and evaluating service learning experiences; (v) promotes partnerships from businesses across the community; (vi) participants are engaged in a process to monitor progress and implementation of specified goals; (vii) exercise takes place with sufficient duration and intensity to address community needs; and (viii) makes connections to the academic subjects of science, technology, engineering and math.

The department shall establish requirements for grant applicants, provided that grants shall be awarded to programs that display quality elements such as: (i) comprehensive academic and non-academic services; (ii) partnerships with community organizations; (iii) serve special populations; (iv) promote family outreach; (v) have highly-qualified staff, and (vi) effective evaluation systems.

The commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall annually evaluate the effectiveness of 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 this section.” ; and moves to amend the bill in section 2, in item 7061-9611, by adding the following: “provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be used for a supplemental grant program that grantees under this line item section may apply for to increase access to Service Learning projects based in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math subjects; and in said item by striking out the figures “$3,576,923” and inserting in place thereof the figures “$3,676,923”.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #679 to H3800

STEM-Based Service Learning