By Ms. Jehlen, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 376) of Patricia D. Jehlen for legislation to promote the education success of court involved children. Education.
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Date
Branch
Action
2/9/2026
Senate
2/9/2026 SenateAccompanied a new draft, see S2955↗
2/5/2026
Senate
2/5/2026 SenateDischarged from committee and recommitted to the committee on Education
2/5/2026
Senate
2/5/2026 SenateAccompanied a study order (under JR10), see S2952↗
1/15/2026
Senate
1/15/2026 SenateReporting date extended to Monday February 2, 2026
6/25/2025
Joint
6/25/2025 JointHearing scheduled for 07/08/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in B-2
2/27/2025
House
2/27/2025 HouseHouse concurred
2/27/2025
Senate
2/27/2025 SenateReferred to the committee on Education
An Act addressing school exclusion policies to remedy disparities in educational achievement
Active
18 section(s) · formatted for easier reading
▸SECTION 1
Subsection (a) of section 37H of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out in lines 43 to 44, inclusive, the words, “including, but not limited to, a gun or a knife” and inserting in place thereof the following words:-
“a device as defined as section 10 of chapter 269 of the General Laws or a controlled substance as defined in chapter ninety-four C, including, but not limited to, cocaine, and heroin, but not including marijuana, may be subject to exclusion from the school or school district by the principal.”
▸SECTION 2
Clause (b) of the fourth paragraph of section 37H of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the word “assaults”, in line 48, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- willfully assaults, with intent and means to harm.
▸SECTION 3
Said paragraph (1) of said section 37H½ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the words “have a substantial detrimental effect on the general welfare of the school”, in lines 9 and 10, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- pose a specific, documentable concern about the infliction of serious bodily injury upon another person while in school.
▸SECTION 4
Said paragraph (1) of said section 37H½ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 10 to 12, inclusive, the sentence, “The student shall receive written notification of the charges and the reasons for such suspension prior to such suspension taking effect” and inserting in place thereof the following two sentences:-
The student shall receive written notification of the charges and the right to a hearing before the principal. If, after the hearing, the principal chooses to suspend the student, the written notice of the suspension shall include the reasons for such suspension, including the basis for the principal’s determination of the infliction of serious bodily injury upon another person while in school, prior to such suspension taking effect. Further, any student who is placed on diversion prior to arraignment is not eligible for suspension under this section.
▸SECTION 5
Paragraph (2) of said section 37H½ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following three paragraphs:-
Upon a student being convicted of a or upon an adjudication or admission in court of guilt with respect to such a felony or felony delinquency, the principal of a school in which the student is enrolled may expel said student if such principal determines that the student's continued presence in school would pose a specific, documentable concern about the infliction of serious bodily injury upon another person while in school. The student shall receive written notification of the charges and right to a hearing before the principal. If after the hearing, the principal chooses to suspend or expel the student, the written notice shall include the reasons for such exclusion, including the basis for the principal’s specific, documentable concern about the infliction of serious bodily injury upon another person while in school, prior to such expulsion taking effect. The student shall also receive written notification of his right to appeal and the process for appealing such expulsion; provided, however, that the expulsion shall remain in effect prior to any appeal hearing conducted by the superintendent.
For any suspension or expulsion under this section, the principal of a school in which the student is enrolled shall provide, to the student and to the parent or guardian of the student, notice of the charges and the reason for the suspension or expulsion in English and in the primary language spoken in the home of the student. The student shall receive the written notification and shall have the opportunity to meet for a fair hearing before the principal to discuss the charges and reasons for the suspension or expulsion prior to the suspension or expulsion taking effect. The notice shall include the right to be represented by a lawyer or advocate (at the student's expense); adequate time to prepare for the hearing; access to documented evidence prior to the hearing; the right to present witnesses at the hearing and to question them and a reasonably prompt written decision including specific grounds for the decision.
The principal shall ensure that the parent or guardian of the student is included in the hearing, provided that such hearing may take place without the parent or guardian only if the principal, or a designee, can document reasonable efforts to include the parent or guardian in that hearing. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations that address a principal's duties under this subsection and procedures for including parents in student exclusion meetings, hearings or interviews under this subsection.
▸SECTION 6
Subsection (a) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 1-2, the words “and expulsion”.
▸SECTION 7
Subsection (c) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 11, the words “or expulsion”.
▸SECTION 8
Subsection (c) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 15, the words “or expulsion”.
▸SECTION 9
Subsection (c) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 19, the words “or expulsion”.
▸SECTION 10
Subsection (d) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 31, the words “or expulsion”.
▸SECTION 11
Subsection (d) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 36, the words “or expulsion”.
▸SECTION 12
Subsection (d) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 38, the words “or expulsion”.
▸SECTION 13
Subsection (d) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 40, the words “or expulsion”.
▸SECTION 14
Subsection (e) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 53, the words “or expulsion”.
▸SECTION 15
Subsection (e) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 57, the words “or expulsion”.
▸SECTION 16
Subsection (e) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 72-73, the words “or expulsion”.
▸SECTION 17
Subsection (f) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 74, the words “or expelled”.
▸SECTION 18
Section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting the following sentence at the end of the sixth paragraph:- No long-term suspension shall extend beyond the end of the school year in which such suspension is imposed.
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SECTION 1. Subsection (a) of section 37H of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out in lines 43 to 44, inclusive, the words, “including, but not limited to, a gun or a knife” and inserting in place thereof the following words:-
“a device as defined as section 10 of chapter 269 of the General Laws or a controlled substance as defined in chapter ninety-four C, including, but not limited to, cocaine, and heroin, but not including marijuana, may be subject to exclusion from the school or school district by the principal.”
SECTION 2. Clause (b) of the fourth paragraph of section 37H of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the word “assaults”, in line 48, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- willfully assaults, with intent and means to harm.
SECTION 3. Said paragraph (1) of said section 37H½ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the words “have a substantial detrimental effect on the general welfare of the school”, in lines 9 and 10, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- pose a specific, documentable concern about the infliction of serious bodily injury upon another person while in school.
SECTION 4. Said paragraph (1) of said section 37H½ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 10 to 12, inclusive, the sentence, “The student shall receive written notification of the charges and the reasons for such suspension prior to such suspension taking effect” and inserting in place thereof the following two sentences:-
The student shall receive written notification of the charges and the right to a hearing before the principal. If, after the hearing, the principal chooses to suspend the student, the written notice of the suspension shall include the reasons for such suspension, including the basis for the principal’s determination of the infliction of serious bodily injury upon another person while in school, prior to such suspension taking effect. Further, any student who is placed on diversion prior to arraignment is not eligible for suspension under this section.
SECTION 5. Paragraph (2) of said section 37H½ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the first paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following three paragraphs:-
Upon a student being convicted of a or upon an adjudication or admission in court of guilt with respect to such a felony or felony delinquency, the principal of a school in which the student is enrolled may expel said student if such principal determines that the student's continued presence in school would pose a specific, documentable concern about the infliction of serious bodily injury upon another person while in school. The student shall receive written notification of the charges and right to a hearing before the principal. If after the hearing, the principal chooses to suspend or expel the student, the written notice shall include the reasons for such exclusion, including the basis for the principal’s specific, documentable concern about the infliction of serious bodily injury upon another person while in school, prior to such expulsion taking effect. The student shall also receive written notification of his right to appeal and the process for appealing such expulsion; provided, however, that the expulsion shall remain in effect prior to any appeal hearing conducted by the superintendent.
For any suspension or expulsion under this section, the principal of a school in which the student is enrolled shall provide, to the student and to the parent or guardian of the student, notice of the charges and the reason for the suspension or expulsion in English and in the primary language spoken in the home of the student. The student shall receive the written notification and shall have the opportunity to meet for a fair hearing before the principal to discuss the charges and reasons for the suspension or expulsion prior to the suspension or expulsion taking effect. The notice shall include the right to be represented by a lawyer or advocate (at the student's expense); adequate time to prepare for the hearing; access to documented evidence prior to the hearing; the right to present witnesses at the hearing and to question them and a reasonably prompt written decision including specific grounds for the decision.
The principal shall ensure that the parent or guardian of the student is included in the hearing, provided that such hearing may take place without the parent or guardian only if the principal, or a designee, can document reasonable efforts to include the parent or guardian in that hearing. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations that address a principal's duties under this subsection and procedures for including parents in student exclusion meetings, hearings or interviews under this subsection.
SECTION 6. Subsection (a) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 1-2, the words “and expulsion”.
SECTION 7. Subsection (c) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 11, the words “or expulsion”.
SECTION 8. Subsection (c) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 15, the words “or expulsion”.
SECTION 9. Subsection (c) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 19, the words “or expulsion”.
SECTION 10. Subsection (d) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 31, the words “or expulsion”.
SECTION 11. Subsection (d) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 36, the words “or expulsion”.
SECTION 12 Subsection (d) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 38, the words “or expulsion”.
SECTION 13. Subsection (d) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 40, the words “or expulsion”.
SECTION 14. Subsection (e) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 53, the words “or expulsion”.
SECTION 15. Subsection (e) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 57, the words “or expulsion”.
SECTION 16. Subsection (e) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 72-73, the words “or expulsion”.
SECTION 17. Subsection (f) of section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 74, the words “or expelled”.
SECTION 18. Section 37H¾ of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting the following sentence at the end of the sixth paragraph:- No long-term suspension shall extend beyond the end of the school year in which such suspension is imposed.