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S 2536

Relates to the inclusion of certain off-site custom fabrication as public work for the purposes of payment of prevailing wage

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Joe Addabbo and 29 co-sponsors

Mass. public colleges must standardize AP credit, accepting scores 3-5 for degree requirements, publish policies for transferability, and undergo annual DHE reviews.

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Bill Summary · S 2536

Summary — S.2536 (2025): “An Act relative to advanced placement examinations”

Note: The bill text provided addresses Advanced Placement (AP) credit policies at Massachusetts public higher‑education institutions. (The initial short title shown elsewhere — relating to prevailing wage/off‑site fabrication — appears to be a mismatch with the bill text. This summary reflects the AP exam text.)

Purpose

To standardize how Massachusetts public colleges and universities award credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exam scores, increase transparency and transferability of AP credits, and require annual statewide review and reporting of institutional AP credit policies.

Key provisions

  • Adds new Section 39A to Chapter 15A of the General Laws requiring all public institutions of higher education (per section 5) to adopt written policies to accept AP exam scores of 3, 4, and 5 to satisfy degree requirements.
  • Policies must state whether AP credit satisfies general education, major, or elective requirements, and must include procedures addressing transferability of those credits to other institutions.
  • Institutions may require a score higher than 3 only if the chief academic officer presents evidence that the higher score is necessary for student success in subsequent courses; the Department of Higher Education (DHE) will issue guidance on what constitutes sufficient evidence and provide a standard submission form. DHE may allow such evidence to remain valid across successive academic years if course content/policies remain substantially unchanged.
  • Institutions must post their AP credit policies on their admissions webpages and submit policies/updates to DHE for posting on the DHE website.
  • The Board of Higher Education, and for UMass in cooperation with its Board of Trustees, must annually review each institution’s AP score-to-credit policies and any supporting evidence for score thresholds above 3. The board(s) will report findings and recommendations to the Clerks of the Senate and House and the chairs of the Joint Committee on Higher Education by July 1 each year. Institutions must supply necessary data consistent with FERPA.
  • First annual report due no later than July 1, 2026 (Section 2).
  • Section 3: DHE to set the statute’s effective date, no later than one year after enactment.

Who is affected

  • Public higher‑education institutions in Massachusetts (community colleges, state universities, University of Massachusetts system).
  • Current and prospective students seeking AP credit and students transferring between public institutions.
  • Institutional academic officers and registrars responsible for credit policy and articulation.
  • Department of Higher Education and the Board of Higher Education (and UMass Trustees) for oversight and reporting.

Implementation timeline & procedural status

  • DHE determines the effective date, but it must be within one year after the law’s enactment.
  • First required statewide report: by July 1, 2026.
  • Legislative actions provided indicate committee reporting (Higher Education), passage in both chambers at various stages, and a return to the Senate (status: RETURNED TO SENATE). (See official legislative records for the most current status.)

Potential impacts

  • Greater consistency and transparency in awarding AP credit across Massachusetts public institutions.
  • Potentially increased acceptance of AP credits (scores of 3 accepted as baseline), improving time‑to‑degree and affordability for students.
  • Administrative burden for institutions to revise, publish, and submit policies and to supply data for statewide review.
  • Preserves institutional academic control by allowing higher score requirements where documented evidence supports that necessity.

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

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