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S 2585

Relates to the definition of a public employer and public employee

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Samra Brouk and 6 co-sponsors

Establishes a centralized electronic education records system and formal interagency data-sharing to ensure real-time access to students in out-of-home placements and compliance wi

COMMITTED TO RULES
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Bill Summary · S 2585

Summary — S.2585 (2025): An Act establishing compliance with federal education reporting requirements for out‑of‑home placement students

Status: Introduced in Senate (7/31/2025); COMMITTED TO RULES. Hearing scheduled 9/9/2025. Accompanied a new draft (S2659) 10/31/2025.

Note: The bill text is titled “An Act establishing compliance with federal education reporting requirements for out‑of‑home placement students.” The version includes an unrelated short title line referencing broadband; the substantive text below concerns education records and data‑sharing for children in out‑of‑home placements.

Purpose

To create a secure, centralized electronic education‑records system and formalize interagency data‑sharing between the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (the department), the Department of Children and Families (DCF), local education agencies (LEAs), district superintendents, and school building clinical designees. The goal is to ensure timely reporting and continuity of education for students in out‑of‑home placements and to satisfy federal education reporting requirements.

Key provisions

  • Adds new sections (proposed Sections 38 and 38A) to Chapter 69 of the Massachusetts General Laws.
  • Definitions: “Student” (child in out‑of‑home placement or young adult under voluntary placement); “Electronic file” (repository of relevant educational data).
  • Requires a memorandum of understanding (MOU) among DESE, DCF, LEAs, district superintendents, and building clinical designees to establish protocols for:
    • Weekly electronic data‑sharing and immediate updates upon any change in placement or school enrollment.
    • Transmission of DCF placement and educational information to DESE, which must immediately relay it to LEAs and school designees.
  • Mandates creation, implementation, and maintenance of an electronic centralized education records database overseen by the Executive Office of Education, providing real‑time access to a student’s electronic file that follows the student across school transfers.
  • Specifies required data fields to be included in the electronic file, including student demographics, grade history, schools attended, placement types/locations and guardians, disability/IEP/504 status, and academic history.
  • Establishes implementation oversight and reporting (Section 38A): monthly interagency meetings in year one (bi‑annual thereafter) and an annual public electronic report containing school‑level outcome data for LEAs enrolling ≥15 out‑of‑home students and statewide metrics (counts, suspension/expulsion, attendance/truancy/dropout, school changes, years behind grade level). Recipients of the report include legislative clerks, juvenile court, governor, relevant state offices, and advocacy/education organizations.

Who is affected

  • Students in out‑of‑home placements (DCF custody or voluntary placements) and their families.
  • DCF, DESE, local school districts/LEAs, district superintendents, building clinical designees, and the Executive Office of Education.
  • Juvenile court and several state and education stakeholder organizations as report recipients.

Implementation & timeline

  • Requires interagency MOUs and technical implementation of a centralized electronic records system; initial intensive oversight with monthly meetings in the first academic year.
  • Status as of provided record: introduced 7/31/2025 and COMMITTED TO RULES; subsequent procedural steps include scheduled hearing (9/9/2025) and new draft S2659 (10/31/2025).

Notes / issues to consider

  • Bill text truncates near the end of Section 38A; full obligations following receipt of the annual report are not visible in the supplied text.
  • The bill mandates broad interagency data‑sharing and “real‑time” access; implementation will need to address student privacy and confidentiality laws (e.g., FERPA/state law) and technical/security requirements for the centralized database.

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

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