HB 4738, "An Act Relative to Public School Attendance Requirements" - June 2006 update
AHEM has previously reported on HB 1044, "An Act Relative to Increasing the Mandatory School Age," and HB 1202, "An Act Relative to Public School Attendance Requirements." These bills were combined with several other bills that deal with raising the age of compulsory attendance, reducing the school drop out rate, and truancy, to create HB 4738.

The new bill, HB 4738, "An Act Relative to Public School Attendance Requirements," would establish a Commission "for the purpose of investigating and reporting on current efforts to reduce student drop out rates in the Commonwealth, and to recommend additional programs or policies that could reduce the drop out rate in the Commonwealth. The Commission shall explore plans, programs, initiatives, curricula, policies, including those in other states, or any other source of information, which is relevant to reducing the drop out rate in the Commonwealth." The Commission would be made up of 15 members, including members of the Joint committee on Education and the Joint committee on Children and Families. The Commission would hold four public hearings in diverse locations, would take testimony from the public, and would submit their report to the full Joint committee on Education on July 1st, 2007.

On March 6, 2006, HB 4738 received a unanimous "ought to pass" vote by the Education committee. On March 8, 2006, the bill moved to the Joint Rules committee. On March 13, 2006, HB 4738 was moved to the House Rules committee.

On June 8, 2006 the House Rules committee recommended ought to pass and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means. From the House Journal, p. 1734: "By Mr. Scaccia of Boston, for the committee on Rules, that the Bill relative to public school attendance requirements (House, No. 4738) ought to pass. Referred, under Rule 33, to the committee on Ways and Means." The next step should be scheduling HB 4738 for debate and an eventual vote by the full House.

We will continue to monitor this piece of legislation and keep you informed of its progress.

Here is the link to the Bill History page for HB 4738 on the General Court website: http://www.mass.gov/legis/184history/h04738.htm

Here is the link to the text of HB 4738:
http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/ht04pdf/ht04738.pdf

AN ACT RELATIVE TO PUBLIC SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS.

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: Section 1 of Chapter 76 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out in line 2 everything after the word "education" until the word "shall" in line 13.

SECTION 2: There shall be a Commission established for the purpose of investigating and reporting on current efforts to reduce student drop out rates in the Commonwealth, and to recommend additional programs or policies that could reduce the drop out rate in the Commonwealth. The Commission shall explore plans, programs, initiatives, curricula, policies, including those in other states, or any other source of information, which is relevant to reducing the drop out rate in the Commonwealth. The Commission will specifically consider, the issue of state assisted alternative education programs including whether students should be excluded from the foundation enrollment of districts, when excluded from school, unless provided with an alternative program. The Commission shall also consider, but is not limited to, the relationship of truancy to drop outs and the effectiveness of truancy courts, and the cost and feasibility in raising the minimum drop out age. The Commission will hold a minimum of four public hearings in diverse locations which will accurately represent the scope and complexity of the school drop out problem, and will take testimony from the public. The Commission shall generate a report, including any recommended legislation, and submit the report to the Joint Committee on Education and the Clerks of the House and Senate by July 1, 2007.
The Commission shall consist of 15 members, consisting of: the House and Senate Chairs of the Joint Committee on Education, or their designee; the House and Senate Chairs of the Committee on Children and Families, or their designee; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or his designee; the House minority leader, or his designee; the President of the Senate, or his designee; Senate minority leader, or his designee; three persons appointed by the Governor, one of which shall be chosen from a list of two persons nominated by the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents and two persons nominated by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, and one of which shall by person of substantial academic qualification with a track record of research and publication on the topic of school drop outs; the Commissioner of Education, or his designee; the Chief Justice of the Juvenile Court, or her designee; the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services, or his designee; and one member appointed by the Legislative Children's Caucus. There shall be House and Senate Co-Chairs, appointed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate respectively.

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