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Bill

S 325

Department of Consumer Affairs

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Thomas Alexander and 3 co-sponsors

Creates a governor-led Workforce Skills Cabinet to coordinate K-12, higher ed, and workforce programs, align career pathways with labor demand, and publish audits and reports.

Effective date 05/19/26
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 325

Summary — S.325 (2025): "An Act to Create and Expand Student Pathways to Success"

Note: the bill text provided establishes a Massachusetts “workforce skills cabinet” and concerns aligning K–12, higher education, and workforce programs. The bill metadata includes conflicting titles and sponsor lists (some appearing to be federal legislators); readers should verify the official source and bill number before taking action.

Main purpose

Create a cross‑agency “workforce skills cabinet” within the Governor’s office to coordinate state workforce and college‑and‑career readiness policy, align high‑school pathways with labor market needs, improve data and reporting, and advise executive agencies and the Legislature on investments and program changes.

Key provisions

  • Establishes Section 17B in Chapter 6 (new “workforce skills cabinet”) with authority to advise the Governor, relevant executive offices, and the Legislature.
  • Membership (ex officio and gubernatorial appointees):
    • Secretaries of Education; Labor & Workforce Development; Housing & Economic Development
    • Commissioners of Elementary & Secondary Education and Higher Education
    • Chair of the Workforce Development Board; Executive Director of Massachusetts Workforce Association
    • 3 governor appointees representing business/industry
    • 2 governor appointees representing workforce participants (including parents)
    • 3 governor appointees from other stakeholder groups
  • Appointees serve 3‑year terms, without compensation; the Governor selects the Chair.
  • Cabinet meets monthly; meetings are public.

Duties and required reports

  • Facilitate cross‑agency alignment, planning, and execution around workforce strategies and high‑school career pathways.
  • Biennial return‑on‑investment (ROI) audit of public high‑school college & career pathway programs to:
    • Map pathways to labor market demand, postsecondary programs, and employer‑valued credentials
    • Evaluate student participation and outcomes (postsecondary attainment, employment, wages)
    • Identify and recommend phasing out misaligned programs and reallocating resources
    • Assess equity of access and recommend improvements
    • Make the audit public and present findings to DESE and the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Education
  • Annual statewide job‑market status and five‑year labor‑need analysis, with policy and investment recommendations; report due to Governor, relevant agencies, and the Legislature and publicly available by December 31 each year.
  • Improve data linkages and public‑facing reporting tools on pathway programs.
  • Advise DESE and Higher Education on employability skills and submit an annual activity report to key legislative committee chairs.

Who is affected

  • State executive agencies (Education, Labor & Workforce Development, Housing & Economic Development)
  • DESE and Department of Higher Education
  • Workforce development boards and employers
  • Public high schools, colleges, workforce training providers
  • Students and families (access to pathway programs and information)
  • Legislators and budget decision‑makers (receiving reports and recommendations)

Status & timeline (from provided record)

  • Filed: Senate docket entries 1/15/2025; introduced/read twice: 1/29/2025
  • Referred to Committee on Education (dates show Jan–Feb 2025); hearing scheduled 06/03/2025 (1:00–5:00 PM, B‑2)
  • Further legislative action pending committee review and floor consideration.

Potential impact

If enacted, the bill centralizes coordination of education‑to‑workforce efforts, increases transparency through audits and data tools, could shift resources toward higher‑demand pathways, and aims to improve student outcomes and alignment with employer needs. No appropriation or fiscal detail is included in the provided text.

Note on document completeness

The bill text provided is truncated near the end of Section 17B. Additional duties, implementation details, or fiscal provisions may appear in the omitted text. Also confirm official bill title, sponsors, and jurisdiction due to conflicting metadata.

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

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