WeVote
Log In

Bill

TI

Bill

S 324

Peace, Harmony and Wellness Day

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Tameika Isaac Devine

Establishes annual DESE reporting on school segregation and a state grant program to help districts plan and implement strategies to reduce racial isolation and boost diversity.

Adopted
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 324

Summary — S.324 (Senate No. 324) — "An Act promoting racially integrated schools"

Note: the legislative record supplied contains conflicting metadata (alternate titles, sponsor lists). This summary is based on the bill text filed in the Massachusetts Senate by Senator Brendan P. Crighton (Senate Docket No. 2140 / Senate No. 324) titled “An Act promoting racially integrated schools.”

Purpose

To increase transparency about racial segregation in public schools and to create a state grant program to support district planning and implementation of strategies to reduce racial isolation and improve racial diversity in Massachusetts public schools.

Key provisions

  • Inserts two new sections into Chapter 69 of the Massachusetts General Laws (after section 36):

    • Section 37 — School segregation data collection
    • Defines terms used to classify schools/districts:
      • “Diverse” = no single racial subgroup >70% and ≥25% White.
      • “Intensely segregated” = single racial subgroup ≥90% OR ≤10% White.
      • “Segregated” = neither diverse nor intensely segregated.
      • “Racially disproportionate” = e.g., White student share differs by ≥15 percentage points from district share, or other subgroup differs by ≥15 percentage points when school is <25% White.
    • Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to annually publish on its website, for every public school and district:
      • Classification (diverse / segregated / intensely segregated) and the quantitative measures used.
      • Identification of racially disproportionate schools and the intradistrict measures used.
      • Measures comparing racial composition of total enrollment with: SAT/ACT test-takers and enrollment in specified advanced courses/programs (AP; chemistry; biology; geometry; calculus; 8th-grade algebra; advanced math; gifted & talented; early college pathways).
    • Allows DESE to limit public reporting only to protect student identities or statistical integrity consistent with existing policies.
    • Section 38 — School diversity and integration grant program
    • Establishes a competitive grant program (subject to appropriation) administered by DESE for districts or consortia with significant achievement gaps or segregation.
    • DESE may reserve up to 10% of funds for research, technical assistance, evaluation, best-practice dissemination, and assistance developing narrowly tailored, race-conscious plans where used.
    • Grants may be planning (≤1 year) or implementation grants. Planning grants must support comprehensive assessments (outcomes, segregation, facility/capacity, transportation, housing/zoning), and robust family/student/community engagement (public hearings) to inform strategies.

Who is affected

  • DESE: new annual reporting duties and program administration.
  • Public school districts and district consortia: eligible to apply for planning/implementation grants; subject to public classification.
  • Students and families: potential benefits from integration efforts; increased public data on racial composition and access to advanced courses.
  • Municipalities and regional planners: housing, transportation, and zoning analyses may be part of local planning.

Timeline & status

  • Bill filed January 17, 2025 (Senate Docket No. 2140). Legislative actions in the supplied record are inconsistent; the record shows referral, hearings scheduled, and other committee actions. The grant program is subject to future appropriation; DESE reporting is to be annual once enacted.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Increases transparency about segregation and underrepresentation in advanced courses and testing.
  • Provides state funding and technical support for locally designed integration strategies, including race-conscious approaches (with technical assistance to ensure narrow tailoring).
  • Costs depend on appropriations; implementation may require districts to analyze housing, transportation, and zoning—potentially involving municipal coordination.
  • The bill includes safeguards for student privacy when publishing small-cell data.

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

Sign in to ask a question.