This bill (HD 3633) updates Massachusetts law regarding medical exemptions for school immunizations. It requires physicians to provide a written "Medical Certification" stating a child's health would be endangered by vaccination, based on factors like family history or pre-existing conditions. The certification must be submitted annually to the school health program, kept confidential (not shared outside that program or used in court without consent), and protects physicians from disciplinary action or professional harm for issuing it. This directly affects parents seeking exemptions, schools, and healthcare providers involved in school health requirements.
HD 1474 requires private colleges and universities in Massachusetts with endowments exceeding $1 billion to pay an annual 2.5% tax on those endowment funds. The tax revenue will fund the new Educational Opportunity for All Trust Fund, which will subsidize higher education, early education, and child care costs for lower-income and middle-class Massachusetts residents. The fund will be administered by the Executive Office of Education under a Board of Trustees representing higher education, early education, child care, and community college sectors.
This bill requires all 4-year degree-granting colleges and universities in the state to annually report detailed admissions data to the attorney general and higher education department. Institutions must disclose whether they use legacy preferences, donor relationships, or early decision/early action policies, and provide disaggregated enrollment statistics broken down by race, financial aid status, and admission pathway. The law prohibits institutions from considering legacy status, donor relationships, or using early decision policies without paying a public service fee calculated based on their endowment size (ranging from 0.01% to 0.2% of endowment). Non-compliant institutions face fees deposited into a Higher Education Opportunity Trust Fund supporting public community colleges and state universities. The bill aims to increase transparency around admissions practices while using financial penalties to enforce accountability.
HD 339 requires Massachusetts public school districts and charter schools to develop policies partnering with community mental health organizations to refer students needing support. It shortens two existing timeframes: requiring schools to update suicide prevention plans annually (instead of every 3 years) and to complete safety reviews within 60 days (instead of 6 months). The bill also mandates the Department of Education to create rules for these school-community partnerships, focusing on connecting students to mental health, substance use, and social services. This directly affects school administrators and staff responsible for implementing student support programs.
SD 300 guarantees free public higher education as a right for eligible Massachusetts residents. It creates a state grant program covering tuition, mandatory fees, and additional costs (like room, board, and books) for students who graduated from a Massachusetts high school or earned a GED in MA, or currently qualify for in-state tuition. The grant supplements existing aid (such as Pell Grants, state grants, or institutional aid) and does not replace it. Eligibility is determined by the Board of Higher Education, which must notify students and maintain a database of eligible applicants. This bill directly affects Massachusetts residents attending public colleges, universities, or vocational programs.
This bill strengthens school anti-bullying policies by requiring schools to implement comprehensive plans that include parent education on bullying prevention, online safety, and reporting procedures. It prohibits retaliation against students or staff who report bullying, provide investigation information, or share incident data, and mandates quarterly reporting of all bullying incidents (not just verified ones) to the state department. School principals must oversee implementation, file these reports, and ensure counseling for both perpetrators and victims. The state will also launch a pilot program assigning anti-bullying officers to the five schools with the most reported incidents, based on the new quarterly data. The bill directly affects public schools, students, parents, and school staff across the state.
This bill (SD 40) requires the state treasurer to reimburse school districts and vocational schools for transportation costs of students in special education programs. It directly affects school districts that provide transportation for these students, as it covers costs not normally provided to regular students and not eligible for other state reimbursements. The reimbursement includes the base cost per pupil in regular programs plus any excess costs for special education transportation, capped at 110% of the average excess cost across all districts. Funding will be phased in over four years, starting at 25% in 2026 and reaching 100% by 2029.
This bill establishes a standardized system for school interpreters to improve access for Limited English Proficient (LEP) parents and students. It creates three interpreter tiers: Tier 3 (required for specialized meetings like IEPs or discipline discussions), Tier 2 (for standard meetings), and Tier 1 (only for emergencies when higher tiers aren't available). The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must develop training, assessment, and a public registry for Tier 3 interpreters, including required field experience and competency standards. The law mandates phased implementation, with full statewide use of Tier 3 interpreters for specialized meetings required after the commissioner certifies readiness. It directly affects schools, LEP families, and interpreters working in Massachusetts public schools.
This bill establishes clear documentation standards for students with disabilities to access accommodations at public colleges and universities in the commonwealth. It specifies that acceptable proof includes past special education plans, Section 504 plans, evaluations from licensed professionals, or records from other schools or institutions. Public institutions must create and publicly post a simple process for determining eligibility for accommodations on their websites. The Board of Higher Education will develop detailed rules to implement these standards.
This bill (HD 3660) adds a new rule to Massachusetts law regarding charter school expansions. If the state education department rejects a charter school's request to expand into additional school districts, the school must wait three years before reapplying for that specific type of expansion. The rule directly affects charter schools whose expansion proposals are denied by the department. This provision creates a mandatory waiting period, changing the process for schools seeking to grow their geographic reach within the state's charter school system.
