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H718 • 2025

An Act to reduce out-of-school suspensions

An Act to reduce out-of-school suspensions

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Joshua Tarsky
Last action
2025-09-15
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 reduce out-of-school suspensions

An Act to reduce out-of-school suspensions By Representative Tarsky of Needham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to reduce out-of-school suspensions By Representative Tarsky of Needham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 718) of Joshua Tarsky for legislation to reduce out-of-school suspensions.
  • Education.
  • Status: Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means

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. 2025-09-15 House

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

  2. 2025-06-25 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 07/08/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in B-2

  3. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Education

  4. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act to reduce out-of-school suspensions
By Representative Tarsky of Needham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 718) of Joshua Tarsky for legislation to reduce out-of-school suspensions. 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.718

Section 37H¾ of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-

(g)(1) For the purposes of this subsection, the term “in-school suspension” shall mean the removal of a student from regular classroom activities, but not from the school premises, for no more than 10 consecutive school days, or no more than 10 school days cumulatively for multiple infractions during the school year.

(2) Schools shall offer, where appropriate, an option for in-school suspension. A student serving an in-school suspension shall have the opportunity to earn credits, as applicable, and make up assignments, tests, papers and other school work as needed to make academic progress during the period of their removal from the classroom or school. In-school suspensions shall be monitored by: (i) at least 1 person who holds a standard educator certificate or a provisional educator certificate, pursuant to section 38G, and has experience teaching subject matter involving science or mathematics; and (ii) at least 1 person who holds a standard educator certificate or a provisional educator certificate, pursuant to said section 38G, and has experience teaching subject matter involving the humanities or social sciences; provided, that 1 person may satisfy the requirements of clauses (i) and (ii).

(3) The department shall provide funding or staff to any school that demonstrates an insufficient funding or staffing level for the maintenance of an in-school suspension program, as determined by the department.

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