Amendment #1580 to H5500

Vocational School Admissions Reform

Mr. Sweezey of Duxbury moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:

"SECTION XXXX. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a vocational technical school district, regional vocational technical school district, or agricultural school may establish and implement admissions policies for career technical education programs based on criteria including, but not limited to, academic performance, attendance, disciplinary record, and demonstrated interest in career technical education.

Such admissions policies shall be adopted by the school committee or governing board of the district and shall be set forth in writing. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the use of any specific admissions criterion, provided that such policies are applied in a fair and consistent manner.

The department of elementary and secondary education shall not require, mandate, or otherwise impose the use of a lottery-based admissions system, whether blind or weighted, for admission to any career technical education program.

Notwithstanding the authority granted to the department or any other general or special law, the department shall not prohibit or restrict a district from utilizing selective admissions criteria as authorized in this section, nor shall it mandate a uniform admissions methodology for all career technical education programs.

Nothing in this section shall preclude a district from utilizing a lottery-based admissions system at its own discretion.

The department shall, not later than 90 days after the effective date of this act, promulgate or revise regulations, including but not limited to 603 CMR 4.00, as necessary to implement this section. Any regulation inconsistent with this section shall be unenforceable.

This section shall take effect 90 days after the passage of this act".

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #1580 to H5500

Vocational School Admissions Reform