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SD 2337

An Act to establish the Middle School Innovation Fund

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Bruce Tarr

Establishes the Commonwealth Middle School Innovation Fund to grant and support project-centered, cross-disciplinary programs for grades 5–8, with an advisory council and annual re

House concurred
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Bill Summary · SD 2337

Summary: Senate Docket No. 2337 — An Act to establish the Commonwealth Middle School Innovation Fund

Proposed bill introduced February 27, 2025. Status: House concurred. Senate Docket No. 2337 (Senator Tarr) and accompanying Senate No. 457 filed January 17, 2025. The measure would establish a dedicated fund to support project-centered, cross-disciplinary learning in Massachusetts middle schools (grades 5-8) and create a advisory council to guide implementation.

Purpose and intent

  • Create the Commonwealth Middle School Innovation Fund to provide grants and other support to local school district programs that use project-centered group learning in grades 5-8.
  • Emphasize cross-curricular integration (e.g., science, mathematics) and learning approaches aligned with state requirements for time on learning as specified by DESE statutes/regulations, including 603 CMR 27.00.
  • Promote learning that accommodates students across varying skill levels and aims for scalable, replicable, and sustainable program designs.

Key provisions

Section 1 – Fund establishment

  • Establishes the Commonwealth Middle School Innovation Fund.
  • Grants may be used for personnel costs, curriculum development/design, and materials.
  • Targeted to programs with project-centered, group learning models that integrate multiple subjects.

Section 2 – Funding and distribution

  • Funds come from legislative appropriations, gifts, grants, and other sources; DESE to identify and secure grants where feasible.
  • Amounts in the fund do not revert to the General Fund and remain available for expenditure.
  • DESE to promulgate regulations governing grant distribution to be fair and equitable, considering geographic distribution, district size diversity, and the goal of maximizing replicability and sustainability of programs.

Section 3 – Administration and advisory council

  • DESE will administer the fund and establish the Commonwealth Middle School Innovation Council.
  • Council composition (appointed by the Governor; chaired by the DESE commissioner) includes:
    • Secretary of Education
    • Secretary of Energy and Economic Development
    • 9 additional members:
    • 1 from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees
    • 1 from the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents
    • 3 middle school educators from diverse regions
    • 1 representative from a local charitable education foundation
    • 2 parents of middle school students
    • 1 representative from an organized labor group representing educators
    • 1 representative from a Massachusetts higher education institution with expertise in education and STEM fields
  • Council meetings must occur at least twice per calendar year, be public, and allow remote observation by the public.

Section 4 – Reporting

  • DESE must produce an annual report detailing grant amounts and recipients, innovative programs developed or supported, replication opportunities, and any legislative or regulatory recommendations.
  • Reports to be filed with the clerks of the House and Senate and posted electronically no later than December 31 each year.

Who is affected

  • Local school districts implementing middle school programs (grades 5-8).
  • Students and families in participating districts.
  • DESE and the Commonwealth Middle School Innovation Council.
  • Stakeholders including school committees, superintendents, educators, parents, charitable education foundations, labor organizations, and higher education institutions with STEM/education expertise.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Introduced: February 27, 2025.
  • Referred to the House committee on Education; status indicates House concurred in the Senate-passed version.
  • Funding and program implementation would depend on future appropriations and DESE rulemaking, with annual reporting due by December 31 of each year.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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