Bill > H524

This bill proposes several changes to Massachusetts education law to require school attendance up to age 18 or until graduation, with key provisions including: expanding mandatory school attendance from the previous undefined age range to specifically ages 6 to 18, ensuring that students over 16 will not face criminal penalties for failing to attend school, and establishing a new "High School Graduation Commission" to study and address barriers to high school completion. The commission will be composed of education officials, appointed members from teachers' unions, and legislative appointees, and will be tasked with investigating factors contributing to student dropout rates, such as attendance patterns, disciplinary issues, family circumstances, and language barriers. The commission will be required to develop recommendations for identifying at-risk students, providing support services like tutoring and emotional resources, and creating mechanisms to reengage students who have left school. These provisions aim to improve high school graduation rates by understanding and addressing the complex challenges students face in completing their education. The changes will take effect in the next school year following the bill's passage.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H524