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Bill

S 398

Relates to duties of notaries with respect to instruments conveying residential real property

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Zellnor Myrie

Creates a statewide high school program of study and a competency determination tied to graduation, aligning coursework with college/career readiness and civic engagement.

REFERRED TO FINANCE
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Bill Summary · S 398

Summary — S.398 (2025) — "An Act to promote student college and career success and civic engagement"

Note: the available file contains mixed metadata (multiple titles and sponsor lists appear to be from other documents). This summary focuses on the bill text that was filed in the Massachusetts Senate (Senate No. 398, Jason M. Lewis et al.) and amends Chapter 69 (education) of the Massachusetts General Laws.

Purpose

To establish a statewide high school “program of study” and a strengthened competency determination as a condition of graduation, aligning high school coursework with college- and career-readiness and promoting civic engagement.

Key provisions

  • Amends Section 1D of Chapter 69 to define the “competency determination” as mastery of a common core of skills in: English, mathematics, science & technology, history & social science, foreign languages, and the arts. Satisfaction of the competency determination is required for high school graduation (new subsection (i)).

  • Inserts a new Section 38 — High School Education Program of Study:

    • (a) The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (the department), with Board approval and advice from an advisory council, shall adopt a statewide program of study to align coursework with college/career expectations and promote civic engagement.
    • (b) The department will set requirements and implementation details, including: timelines for district compliance, methods to ensure comparable rigor and application statewide (e.g., syllabus review, performance assessments), a time-limited waiver process for hardship, and modifications/exceptions for subgroups (students with severe cognitive disabilities, newly arrived immigrants, ELLs, vocational/technical students).
    • (c) The department may require one or more additional learning/enrichment experiences as part of the competency determination. Authorized options include: service-learning or capstone projects, AP courses, SAT/ACT scores, dual-credit or early college courses, internships/work-based learning, extracurricular participation, innovation pathways, industry credentials, MyCAP participation, or ASVAB results. If such requirements are adopted, a range of options must be offered and schools must offer multiple options (not necessarily all).
    • (d) Establishes a Competency Determination Advisory Council composed of representatives from statewide education associations (listed) plus five commissioner appointees reflecting geographic and stakeholder diversity.
    • (e) The department must hold at least five public hearings across the Commonwealth for input.
    • (f) Subject to appropriation, the department shall provide technical assistance and create a grant program to support implementation.
    • (g) The program of study must be reviewed and updated at least every 10 years.
    • (h) The department shall promulgate regulations for implementation, administration, and enforcement.

  • SECTION 3 (begins): Creates a special commission on the school and district assessment and accountability system — text in the provided document is truncated, so details of the commission are not fully available.

Who is affected

  • All Massachusetts public high school students and school districts (curriculum, graduation requirements).
  • Specific attention to subgroups: students with severe cognitive disabilities, newly arrived immigrants, ELLs, vocational/technical students.
  • Local districts (must comply, report, provide options) and the state department (to set rules, provide grants/assistance).
  • Stakeholder organizations participating on the advisory council.

Implementation, timeline & fiscal

  • Department to set compliance timelines and implementation processes; grants/technical assistance are subject to appropriation.
  • Program to be reviewed at least every 10 years.
  • Regulations to be promulgated by the department before full implementation.
  • Public input required via at least five hearings.

Status & procedure (as provided)

  • Introduced in the Massachusetts Senate (Senate No. 398) — filed 1/16/2025; presented by Sen. Jason M. Lewis. Legislative actions listed include referrals to committees (Judiciary, Education, Finance) and a scheduled hearing (11/12/2025). The provided procedural metadata contains inconsistencies; consult the official Massachusetts legislative website for up-to-date status.

Notes / Caveats

  • The document includes inconsistent metadata (other titles and an extensive federal sponsor list) that do not match the Massachusetts bill text. This summary is limited to the education-related provisions contained in the Senate No. 398 filing. The special commission provision is truncated in the available file; readers should review the full bill text for complete details.

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

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