The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PETITION OF:
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PETITION OF:
Alice K. Wolf
Elizabeth A. Malia
Barbara A. L'Italien
John F. Quinn
Stephen R. Canessa
John P. Fresolo
Anthony J. Verga
Benjamin Swan
Tom Sannicandro
Gloria L. Fox
Ruth B. Balser
Willie Mae Allen
William Lantigua
William N. Brownsberger
Kay Khan
Linda Dorcena Forry
Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.
William Smitty Pignatelli
Patricia D. Jehlen
Richard T. Moore
Thomas P. Kennedy
Carl M. Sciortino, Jr.
Susan C. Tucker
Bruce E. Tarr
Martha M. Walz
Alice Hanlon Peisch
Stephen L. DiNatale
Christine E. Canavan
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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.
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An Act relative to the development of a comprehensive strategy to prevent students from dropping out of school . |
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. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the department of education shall, no later than December 31, 2007, develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to provide assistance to school districts and schools to help address the student dropout problem in public schools, particularly those within urban and rural areas. In the development of the strategy, the department shall engage public and private entities who are responsible for servicing these students. The strategy shall build upon existing programs and initiatives that have proven successful in preventing students from dropping out of school. The department shall take into consideration, at a minimum, the following:
(1) Analyses of annual district and school dropout data; tracking of students; risk factor identification;
(2) Any local, state and federal resources and programs, including, but not limited to, extended school services; literacy; early intervention; family resource and youth service centers; mental health services; alternative education services; drug and alcohol prevention programs; school-to-career programs; school safety grants; criminal justice programs; social service programs; and other relevant programs and services that could be used in a multi-dimensional effort;
(3) Comprehensive student programs and services that include, but are not limited to, comprehensive student evaluation, counseling, mentoring, extra instructional support, tutoring and other educational strategies for elementary, middle, and high school students who are demonstrating little or no success in school, who have poor attendance, or who are affected by other risk factors that contribute to the likelihood of their dropping out of school, as well as home visitations, and parental training for the parents or legal guardians of such students; and
(4) Evaluation procedures to measure progress within school districts and schools in eliminating the problem of students dropping out of school.
The department shall serve as the lead agency for providing assistance to districts in the development and implementation of dropout prevention strategies and plans. Agencies or other public entities that the department determines are necessary to assist in this effort shall provide such assistance.
The department shall file any comprehensive strategy developed under this section with the joint committee on education, arts and humanities.