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H657 • 2025

An Act to promote collaboration in Horace Mann and Innovation Schools

An Act to promote collaboration in Horace Mann and Innovation Schools

Education
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
James J. O'Day
Last action
2026-03-05
Official status
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to promote collaboration in Horace Mann and Innovation Schools

An Act to promote collaboration in Horace Mann and Innovation Schools By Representative O'Day of West Boylston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to promote collaboration in Horace Mann and Innovation Schools By Representative O'Day of West Boylston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 657) of James J.
  • O'Day for legislation to promote collaboration in Horace Mann and innovation schools.
  • Education.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-05 House

    Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means

  2. 2025-12-31 House

    Reporting date extended to Wednesday, March 18, 2026

  3. 2025-09-30 Joint

    Hearing rescheduled to 09/30/2025 from 11:00 AM-01:20 PM in Gardner Auditorium Hearing updated to New End Time

  4. 2025-09-23 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 09/30/2025 from 11:00 AM-05:00 PM in Gardner Auditorium

  5. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Education

  6. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act to promote collaboration in Horace Mann and Innovation Schools
By Representative O'Day of West Boylston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 657) of James J. O'Day for legislation to promote collaboration in Horace Mann and innovation schools. Education.
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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Bill H.657

SECTION 1. Section 89 of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended in subsection (i), clause (3) by striking the words “provided, however, notwithstanding subsection (c) the 14 new Horace Mann charter schools shall not be subject to the requirement of an agreement with the local collective bargaining unit prior to board approval; provided, further, that after the charter for these 14 new Horace Mann charter schools have been granted by the board, the schools shall develop a memorandum of understanding with the school committee and the local union regarding any waivers to applicable collective bargaining agreements; provided, further, that if an agreement is not reached on the memorandum of understanding at least 30 days before the scheduled opening of the school, the charter school shall operate under the terms of its charter until an agreement is reached”

SECTION 2. Section 92 of Chapter 71 of the General Laws, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (l), as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-

(l) Upon the completion of the innovation plan in subsection (j), the applicant, a local union and the superintendent shall negotiate waivers or modifications to the applicable collective bargaining agreement necessary for the school to implement the innovation plan.

In the case of a school conversion, upon the conclusion of the negotiations, the innovation plan shall be submitted immediately to the teachers in the school that is proposed for conversion for approval by secret ballot within 30 days. A two-thirds vote of the teachers shall be required to approve the plan. If a two-thirds vote is not achieved, the local union and superintendent may revise the innovation plan as necessary and submit the revised plan to the teachers for a subsequent vote.

Upon the conclusion of the negotiations, the innovation plan shall be submitted immediately to the school committee.

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