Please take a moment to look at the education bills I have filed this session.

You can also view all bills I’ve co-sponsored this session here.

Filed bills

An Act ensuring tuition equity at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture

The Stockbridge School of Agriculture at the University of Massachusetts Amherst hosts a unique associate degree (AS) program for students interested in pursuing a career or further education in agriculture. Stockbridge’s AS program sets students up for success, with most students finding employment after graduation or transferring to a bachelor program within the University system. However, enrollment in the Stockbridge AS program has dropped precipitously over the last 20 years. One significant factor is the high cost of a Stockbridge associate degree compared to a similar degree from a Massachusetts community college. MassEducate, the state’s newly launched free community college program, makes this differential even wider. My bill expands MassEducate to include the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, enabling students to pursue an associate degree in agriculture without worrying about the cost. 

 

An Act establishing the Massachusetts farm to school program

Providing fresh, local food to schools promotes nutritious eating, supports farms and fisheries, and gives an important financial boost to local economies. The Massachusetts FRESH grant program has been successful in enabling schools and early education programs to serve high-quality meals made with locally grown foods, while at the same time educating students about nutrition and where the food they eat comes from. My bill establishes a new Massachusetts Farm to School Program, codifying the existing FRESH grant program in state law and adding a local food incentive to provide matching funds to schools for purchasing locally grown food.

 

An Act establishing the official sedimentary structure of the Commonwealth

Armored mud balls are rare Jurassic period sediments found scattered across Franklin County. My bill makes armored mud balls the official sedimentary structure of the Commonwealth, properly recognizing these structures for their geologic significance and providing increased opportunities to educate Massachusetts residents about the state’s rich geologic history.

 

An Act expanding access to higher education tuition and fee waivers for adopted foster children

When a family adopts a child from the foster care system, the child is entitled under Massachusetts law to free tuition at state universities, colleges, and community colleges. However, a loophole in our financial aid system has meant that this tuition waiver does not cover courses taught at night or by faculty who are not full time. My bill allows students to use financial aid tuition and fee waivers for any course offered by a state institution of higher education.

 

An Act to facilitate student financial assistance

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA, is the free application that students and their families must use to apply for federal financial aid for college or career school. The FAFSA determines a student’s eligibility for grants, work-study funds, loans, and scholarships and can help families understand their options for financial aid at different schools. Despite the FAFSA’s importance, only 55% of high school seniors in Massachusetts completed their application in 2024. My bill requires all high school students to complete the FAFSA, unless a student’s parent or guardian submits a waiver. It also requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide guidance and funding to school districts to assist school staff and administrators with implementing this new requirement. 

 

An Act to modernize the endowment match program for community colleges

The Commonwealth provides an endowment matching program for all public higher education institutions to encourage and assist with private fundraising. However, for a donation to be endowed, it typically has to be $25,000 or larger. Donations made to community colleges are often smaller than those given to state colleges and universities, so community colleges are rarely able to take advantage of the state endowment funding match. My bill allows any privately raised donations — regardless of amount — to count toward a community college’s match potential. The bill maintains that matched funds continue to go into a community college’s  endowment to allow the funds to grow over time.

 

An Act relative to student mental health

The state’s most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that, in 2021, an alarming 18.4 percent of students seriously considered suicide, with 14 percent making a plan and 7.6 percent attempting suicide. Further, only 11.3 percent of students asked for help from a doctor, counselor, or hotline before their suicide attempt. My bill directs that newly printed school ID cards for public school students in grades 6-12 and students in public colleges and universities include the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline directs all callers to trained call takers who are available to provide free, confidential emotional support for those in crisis.

 

An Act to provide a sustainable future for rural schools

Rural schools face many structural challenges, including declining enrollments, stagnating local tax bases, disproportionately high transportation and special education costs, and a state funding formula that favors schools with dense populations and larger enrollments. My bill addresses these and other issues by providing funding for regional schools, school building construction and renovation, and exceptional transportation and special education costs; supporting shared services among regional schools and looking for ways to reduce their health care costs; and establishing commissions to review and update special education regulations and funding to better support rural schools. The bill also ensures representation from western Massachusetts on the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education so that our communities have a voice in the state’s decision-making body. 

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