Massachusetts General Laws
Title XII - Education
Chapter 71 - Public Schools

Section 1c - Workshops on Rights of Students and Their Parents Under Special Education Laws of the Commonwealth and the Federal Government - Section 1C. Each school district shall conduct, in cooperation with...

Section 2 - Teaching of History and Social Science; Professional Development; Student-Led Civic Projects; Commonwealth Civics Challenge - Section 2. (a) In all public schools, history of the...

Section 2a - Use of Tobacco Products Within School Buildings or Facilities or on School Grounds - Section 2A. No person shall use a tobacco product, as...

Section 2b - Courses in American Sign Language - Section 2B. In all public elementary and secondary schools, American...

Section 2c - Implementation of Policy and Discipline Code Addressing Teen Dating Violence in Public Schools - Section 2C. Each school district in the commonwealth, subject to...

Section 3 - Physical Education - Section 3. Physical education shall be taught as a required...

Section 4 - High Schools; Maintenance; Diplomas Awarded to Veterans - Section 4. Every town containing, according to the latest federal...

Section 4a - Failure to Keep Schools Open for Required Period; Penalty - Section 4A. Every town which, without having received a specific...

Section 6 - Education in Out-of-Town High Schools - Section 6. If a town of less than five hundred...

Section 6a - Admission of Students From Outside Commonwealth - Section 6A. Any city, town, or regional school district, acting...

Section 7a - Transportation of Pupils; Payment of Costs; Limitations - Section 7A. The state treasurer shall annually, on or before...

Section 7b - Transportation of Pupils; Reimbursement of Costs; Determination of Amount; Use of Funds - Section 7B. To provide for the reimbursement of part of...

Section 7c - Bus Transportation Programs; Financial Assistance - Section 7C. No financial assistance shall be provided by the...

Section 10 - Expenses of Physically Disabled Children - Section 10. If the school committee of a town of...

Section 11 - High School; Definition - Section 11. For the purposes of the six preceding sections,...

Section 13 - Requested Courses; School Committee Approval - Section 13. In every public school having not less than...

Section 13d - High Schools; Required Subjects; Driver Training - Section 13D. Motor vehicle driving education may be incorporated as...

Section 13f - Broadcast and Television Facilities; Cost of Program; Executive Committee for Educational Television - Section 13F. The course of study in elementary and high...

Section 13g - Executive Committee for Educational Television; Rules and Regulations; Personnel - Section 13G. Subject to the approval of the board of...

Section 13h - Educational Television Program Fund; Accounts and Reports - Section 13H. The committee may establish and manage under such...

Section 13i - Executive Committee for Educational Television; Powers and Duties - Section 13I. In order to carry out its duties, said...

Section 14 - Regional School District Planning Committee; Creation; Membership - Section 14. Any town, either by a majority vote of...

Section 14a - Duties of Planning Board - Section 14A. It shall be the duty of the regional...

Section 14b - Regional School Districts; Formation; Procedure - Section 14B. The said regional district planning board may recommend...

Section 14c - Lease or Sale of Property to Regional School Districts - Section 14C. The agreement made under section fourteen B, or...

Section 14d - Regional School District Planning Board; Agreement; Approval of Indebtedness - Section 14D. The agreement made under section fourteen B, or...

Section 14e - Regional School District Committee Membership Options - Section 14E. A regional school district may, by amendment to...

Section 15 - Acceptance of Organization Provisions by Electorate - Section 15. The selectmen or council of each of the...

Section 16 - Regional School Districts; Status; Powers and Duties - Section 16. A regional school district established under the provisions...

Section 16a - Regional District School Committee; Selection, Powers and Duties of Officers; Signing of Payroll and Accounts Payable Warrants; Audits - Section 16A. The powers, duties and liabilities of a regional...

Section 16b - Budgets; Apportionment of Expenses - [Section impacted by 2020, 56, Sec. 8 effective April 10,...

Section 16b1/2 - Excess and Deficiency Fund; Surplus Funds Used to Reduce Assessments - Section 16B1/2. If the unencumbered amount in the excess and...

Section 16c - Regional School Districts; School Transportation - Section 16C. The regional school district shall be subject to...

Section 16d - Aid From State - Section 16D. (a) A regional school district shall be entitled...

Section 16d1/2 - Monies Received as Nonresident Tuition or Reimbursements From Commonwealth for Foster Care Children - Section 16D1/2. All monies received by a regional district school...

Section 16e - Regional School Districts; Audits; Payment of Costs - Section 16E. A regional school district shall be considered a...

Section 16f - Retirement System - Section 16F. The regional school district shall maintain a contributory...

Section 16g - Liability of Towns for Expenses of District - Section 16G. No town in a regional school district shall...

Section 16g1/2 - Stabilization Fund - Section 16G1/2. A regional school district may, upon a majority...

Section 16i - Severability of Sections Relating to Regional School Districts - Section 16I. If any provision of said sections, or the...

Section 17a - Culinary Arts Program; Special Fund - Section 17A. In any city or town which accepts the...

Section 18 - Evening Schools - Section 18. Any town may, and every town in which...

Section 19 - Evening Classes in High Schools - Section 19. Every city of fifty thousand inhabitants shall maintain...

Section 20 - Notice of Evening Schools; Publication; Fees for Instruction - Section 20. The school committee shall, two weeks next before...

Section 20a - Instructional Materials Trust Fund - Section 20A. Any city, town or regional school district, located...

Section 21 - Continuation Schools; Establishment; Conditions - Section 21. Every town which has accepted chapter three hundred...

Section 22 - Attendance - Section 22. Every minor described in the preceding section shall,...

Section 23 - Use of Existing Educational Facilities - Section 23. In the establishment and conduct of said schools...

Section 24 - Cost of Maintenance; Source of Funds - Section 24. The town of residence of a person who...

Section 25 - Unemployed Minors; Attendance Requirements - Section 25. Any minor under sixteen who has been regularly...

Section 26 - Penalty for Failure to Establish or Maintain School - Section 26. A town required by section twenty-one to establish...

Section 26a - Extended School Services for Children; Establishment; Conditions - Section 26A. If the school committee of a city, town...

Section 26b - Extended School Services for Children; Organization and Operation of Plan - Section 26B. If said school committee, upon determination by it...

Section 26c - Extended School Services for Children; Contributions and Federal Funds; Use - Section 26C. The commonwealth and the school committee may accept...

Section 26d - Borrowing in Anticipation of Federal Funds - Section 26D. If a town shall have a written contract...

Section 27 - Lectures - Section 27. The school committee may employ competent persons to...

Section 28 - Summer Schools - Section 28. The school committee may establish and maintain schools...

Section 30 - Moral Education - Section 30. The president, professors and tutors of the university...

Section 31 - Bible Reading - Section 31. A portion of the Bible shall be read...

Section 31a - Guidelines for Celebration of Holidays Authorized - Section 31A. The school committee may set appropriate guidelines for...

Section 32 - Observance of Memorial Day - Section 32. In all the public schools the last regular...

Section 32a - Sex Education; Policy Regarding Notice to Parents, Exception - Section 32A. Every city, town, regional school district or vocational...

Section 34 - Support of Schools; Appropriations; Recommendations - Section 34. Every city and town shall annually provide an...

Section 34a - Transcript of Student's Record; Availability - Section 34A. Any person operating or maintaining an educational institution...

Section 34b - Remedy for Failure to Furnish Transcript of Student's Record - Section 34B. In case any person subject to section thirty-four...

Section 34d - Student Records; Maintenance, Storage, Destruction, etc.; Inspection by Parent or Guardian - Section 34D. The board of education shall adopt regulations relative...

Section 34e - Inspection of Student Records; Persons Authorized - Section 34E. Each school committee shall, at the request of...

Section 34g - Private Schools; Transfer of Transcripts Upon Ceasing Operation - Section 34G. In the event that any private educational institution...

Section 34h - Noncustodial Parents; Receipt of Information for Child Enrolled in Public Elementary or Secondary Schools; Notice to Custodial Parent - Section 34H. (a) Each public elementary and secondary school shall...

Section 35 - Beginning of Term - Section 35. In cities where no other provision is made...

Section 36 - Secretary; Appointment; Duties - Section 36. The school committee shall appoint a secretary who...

Section 36a - Orientation for School Committee Members - Section 36A. School committee members, within 1 year after their...

Section 37 - Powers and Duties; Superintendent Serving Joint Districts - Section 37. The school committee in each city and town...

Section 37a - Grants; Acceptance and Disbursement - Section 37A. School committees of cities and towns and regional...

Section 37b - Purchase of or Making Payments to Annuities or Investments - Section 37B. A school committee or a board of trustees...

Section 37c - Promotion of Racial Balance - Section 37C. It is hereby declared to be the policy...

Section 37d - Racial Imbalance; Definitions; Statistics; Transfers; Priorities; Plans for Elimination; Public Hearings; Regulations; Jurisdiction; Costs; Attorney's Fees - Section 37D. As used in this section, sections thirty-seven C,...

Section 37e - Legal Counsel for Collective Bargaining - Section 37E. The school committee of a city or town...

Section 37f - Legal Counsel for General Purposes - Section 37F. The school committee of a city or town...

Section 37g - Corporal Punishment of Pupils Prohibited; Use of Physical Restraint; Regulations - Section 37G. (a) The power of the school committee or...

Section 37h - Policies Relative to Conduct of Teachers or Students; Student Handbooks - Section 37H. The superintendent of every school district shall publish...

Section 37h1/2 - Felony Complaint or Conviction of Student; Suspension; Expulsion; Right to Appeal - Section 37H1/2. Notwithstanding the provisions of section eighty-four and sections...

Section 37h3/4 - Suspension or Expulsion on Grounds Other Than Those Set Forth in Secs. 37h or 37h1/2 - Section 37H3/4. (a) This section shall govern the suspension and...

Section 37i - Magnet School Facilities; Grants; Application; Approval; Agreements; Eligible Costs; Regulations - Section 37I. Notwithstanding any contrary provisions of law, including, but...

Section 37j - Magnet Educational Programs; Reimbursement for Cost; Definition; Contracts; Joining Programs - Section 37J. The board of education may, subject to appropriation,...

Section 37k - Business Demonstration Projects; Disposition of Proceeds - Section 37K. Each school committee may authorize business demonstration projects...

Section 37l - Notification to School Personnel of Reporting Requirements for Child Abuse and Neglect and Fires; Reports of Students Possessing or Using Dangerous Weapons on School Premises; Transferred Students' School Records - Section 37L. The school committee of each city, town or...

Section 37m - Consolidation of Administrative Functions With City or Town - Section 37M. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter forty-one or...

Section 37n - Policy for School-Sponsored Student Travel - Section 37N. Each school committee shall establish a policy concerning...

Section 37o - School Bullying Prohibited; Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plans; Reporting of Bullying Incident Date - Section 37O. (a) As used in this section the following...

Section 37p - School Resource Officers; Model School Resource Officer Memorandum of Understanding; Review Commission; Assignment of Officers - Section 37P. (a) As used in this section the following...

Section 37q - Mental Health Support Plans - Section 37Q. (a) As used in this section the following...

Section 37r - Possession and Access to Two-Way Communication Device for Communicating With Police and Fire Departments During Emergency Situation - Section 37R. (a) As used in this section the following...

Section 38 - Employment of Teachers, Aides, Principals, etc.; Designation of Horace Mann Teachers; Performance Evaluations; Performance Standards - Section 38. No school district shall require that an individual...

Section 38a - Duties; Appointment of Director of Occupational Guidance, Duties of Director - Section 38A. The school committee of a town not in...

Section 38c - Status of Director of Occupational Guidance - Section 38C. Every such director of occupational guidance and placement...

Section 38d - District Directors of Occupational Guidance; Appointment - Section 38D. Two or more towns may, by vote of...

Section 38f - Fees for Services of Directors of Occupational Guidance; Prohibition; Penalty for Violation - Section 38F. A director of occupational guidance and placement who...

Section 38g - Certification for Certain Teaching and Administrative Positions; Provisional and Standard Certificates; Policies and Guidelines Regarding Requirements and Qualifications; Applications; Recommendations; Review; Continuing Education; Rene... - [Section impacted by 2020, 92, Secs. 14, 16 and 17,...

Section 38g1/2 - Specialist Teacher Endorsement in Transition Services; Transition of Students With Disabilities to Post-School Activities - Section 38G1/2. As used in this section, the following words...

Section 38h - School Librarian and School Library Supervisor or Co-Ordinator; Tenure - Section 38H. Every school librarian and school library supervisor or...

Section 38i - Reimbursement of Teachers for Tuitions and Fees - Section 38I. The school committee of any city or town...

Section 38k - Public Relations Bureau in School Departments; Establishment - Section 38K. In cities having a population of over one...

Section 38m - Student Advisory Committees - Section 38M. School committees of cities, towns and regional school...

Section 38n - Proposed Annual Budgets; Public Hearings Required; Quorum - Section 38N. The school committee of each city, town or...

Section 38o - Sex Education Advisory Committees - Section 38O. In any city, town or regional school district...

Section 38p - School Psychologists; Tenure - Section 38P. Every school psychologist and supervisor of school psychologists...

Section 38q - Professional Development Plans; Statewide Assistance Plan - Section 38Q. Every school district in the commonwealth shall adopt...

Section 38q1/2 - Curriculum Accommodation Plan - Section 38Q1/2. A school district shall adopt and implement a...

Section 38r - Criminal Background Check of Current or Prospective School Employee, Volunteer, or Other Persons Having Direct and Unmonitored Contact With Children; Criminal Offender Record Information; State and National Fingerprint-Based Criminal Ba... - Section 38R. In a manner prescribed by the board of...

Section 39 - Teacher's Application Forms; Questions Concerning Religion or Politics - Section 39. No public school committee or official shall inquire...

Section 40 - Compensation of Teachers; Deferred Payment - Section 40. The compensation of each teacher, except a person...

Section 41 - Tenure of Teachers and Superintendents; Persons Entitled to Professional Teacher Status; Dismissal; Review - Section 41. For the purposes of this section, a teacher,...

Section 41a - Leaves of Absence of Professional Staff - Section 41A. The school superintendent may grant a leave of...

Section 41b - Leaves of Absence; Peace Corps - Section 41B. A school superintendent shall grant to a teacher...

Section 42 - Dismissal or Demotion of Teachers or Other Employees of School or School District; Arbitration - Section 42. A principal may dismiss or demote any teacher...

Section 42b - Rights of School Employees in Regional Districts - Section 42B. The provisions of this chapter relating to school...

Section 42c - Records of Teachers; Inspection - Section 42C. School officials of cities and towns keeping records...

Section 42d - Suspension of District Employees - Section 42D. The superintendent may suspend any employee of the...

Section 43 - Reduction of Salaries; Conditions - Section 43. The salary of no teacher employed with professional...

Section 44 - Restrictions on Teachers' Political Rights; Prohibition - Section 44. No committee shall by rule, regulation, or otherwise,...

Section 45 - Procurement of Teaching Positions; Regulation of Fees; Penalty for Violation - Section 45. No person shall demand or accept from any...

Section 47 - Athletic Programs; School Organizations; Student Activity Accounts - Section 47. The committee may supervise and control all athletic...

Section 47a - Athletic Coaches; Employment - Section 47A. The superintendent may contract to employ athletic coaches...

Section 48 - Textbooks and School Supplies - Section 48. The principal at each school, subject to the...

Section 48a - School Safety Patrols; Functions, Limitations; Liability - Section 48A. School committees shall have authority to organize school...

Section 48b - Uniforms of School Employees - Section 48B. The school committee may make expenditures for the...

Section 49 - Purchase of Textbooks by Pupils - Section 49. Pupils in the public schools may, if the...

Section 49a - Orders for Materials and Equipment; Contracts for Services - Section 49A. At any time after the annual appropriations for...

Section 50 - Change of School Books - Section 50. A change may be made in the school...

Section 51 - Exhibition of School Work at Expositions - Section 51. The school committee may, at any national, state,...

Section 52 - Compensation of School Committee Members - Section 52. The school committee shall serve without compensation, except...

Section 53 - School Physicians and Nurses - Section 53. The school committee shall appoint one or more...

Section 53a - Employment of Medical Personnel by Superintendency District or Union; Compensation; Removal - Section 53A. A superintendency district formed and conducted under the...

Section 53b - Towns Within a Superintendency District or Union; Exemption From Appointment Requirement - Section 53B. The towns comprised in a superintendency district or...

Section 54 - Examination of Children and School Personnel - Section 54. Every school physician shall make a prompt examination...

Section 54a - Physician or Person Trained in Emergency Medical Care; Assignment to Interscholastic Football Games - Section 54A. A physician employed by a school committee or...

Section 54b - Administration of Medications in School Settings; Regulations - Section 54B. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the...

Section 54c - Automated External Defibrillators Required at School Facilities; Certified Aed Providers; Hardship Waivers; Personal Liability; Regulations - Section 54C. (a) Each school district, vocational district, charter school,...

Section 55 - Contagious Diseases; Regulations - Section 55. A child infected, or in a household where...

Section 55a - Sick, Injured or Incapacitated Pupils; Procedure for Handling; Emergency First Aid or Transportation; Exemption From Civil Liability - Section 55A. A child showing signs of ill health or...

Section 55c - Eye Protective Devices - Section 55C. Each teacher and pupil of any school, public...

Section 55d - Musical Wind Instruments; Notification of Sanitization and Option to Sterilize at Parental Expense - Section 55D. (a) Upon the issuance of a musical wind...

Section 56 - Sick Children; Notification of Parents - Section 56. If any child is found to be suffering...

Section 57 - Physical Examination of Pupils; Eye Examination, Written Report - [See Order of the Commissioner of Public Health, dated April...

Section 57a - Students With Potential Indicators of a Neurological Learning Disability; Guidelines for Development of Screening Procedures - Section 57A. The department of elementary and secondary education, in...

Section 59 - Superintendent of Schools; Appointment; Compensation; Powers and Duties - Section 59. The school committee of a town not in...

Section 59a - Superintendents of Schools in Small Towns; Appointment; State Aid for Compensation - Section 59A. In any town, having a valuation of less...

Section 59b - Principals; Appointment; Compensation; Duties; Appointment of Other Personnel - Section 59B. The superintendent of a school district shall appoint...

Section 59c - School Councils; Members; Meetings; Duties - Section 59C. At each public elementary, secondary and independent vocational...

Section 59d - School-Community Partnerships; Grant Program - Section 59D. Superintendents and principals in every school district in...

Section 61 - Superintendent of Schools; Employment by a Town Union; Termination of Town Participation in a Union - Section 61. The school committees of two or more towns,...

Section 62 - Readjustment of Town Unions - Section 62. The department may form or readjust such unions...

Section 63 - School Committees as Joint Committee; Representation: Meetings; Employment of Superintendent, Removal - Section 63. The school committees of such towns shall, for...

Section 64 - Union Superintendent; Compensation - Section 64. The salary of the superintendent in such a...

Section 67 - Superintendents of Schools; Penalty for Accepting Fees for Obtaining Positions; Employment of Immediate Family of Certain Persons Prohibited - Section 67. A superintendent of schools who accepts any commission,...

Section 68 - Duties of Towns to Maintain Schools; Transportation of Children; School Building Committee Representation - Section 68. Every town shall provide and maintain a sufficient...

Section 69 - Display of National Flags; Pledge of Allegiance; Penalty for Violation - Section 69. The school committee shall provide for each schoolhouse...

Section 69a - Plaque Reading ''for God and Country''; Placement on Public School Buildings - Section 69A. On every public school building within the commonwealth...

Section 70 - Location of Schools - Section 70. A town may, at a town meeting, determine...

Section 71 - Use of School Property; Purposes - Section 71. For the purpose of promoting the usefulness of...

Section 71a - Highway Safety Stations; Designation, Discontinuance - Section 71A. A school committee may, subject, however, to all...

Section 71b - Adult Physical Fitness Programs - Section 71B. A school committee may offer adult physical fitness...

Section 71c - Community School Programs; Receipts; Deposit and Expenditure - Section 71C. All moneys received by the school committee in...

Section 71d - Prepayment of Tuition to Private Schools or Program Sources - Section 71D. A school committee of any city, town, or...

Section 71e - Appropriations for and Expenditure of Receipts From Adult Education and Continuing Education Programs - Section 71E. In any city, town or regional school district...

Section 71f - Nonresident or Foster Care Students; Deposit of Tuition Payments and State Reimbursements; Expenditures and Appropriations - Section 71F. In any city or town which accepts this...

Section 72 - Sale of Lunches - Section 72. The school committee may prepare and sell lunches...

Section 72a - Implementation the Federal Community Eligibility Provision; Waiver; Training; Certification of Students for Free School Meal Status - [ Text of section added by 2021, 62, Sec. 1...

Section 72b - Unpaid Student Meal Debt; Determination of Whether Student Is Categorically-Eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Meals - [ Text of section added by 2021, 62, Sec. 1...

Section 73 - Closing of School for Teachers' Meetings - Section 73. The superintendent of schools may, unless the committee...

Section 74 - Management of Schools Funds by Private Corporations - Section 74. This chapter shall not affect the right of...

Section 75 - Extended Courses of Instruction - Section 75. If the school committee of any city or...

Section 76 - Rules of Admission - Section 76. Any such school committee shall establish as one...

Section 77 - Joint Establishment of Extended Courses - Section 77. Two or more cities or towns in which...

Section 79 - Junior College Designation, Degrees - Section 79. Any city or town may use the designation...

Section 80 - Lunch Period for Teachers - Section 80. Every teacher employed in any public school whose...

Section 81 - Junior Colleges; Restriction on Establishment - Section 81. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections seventy-five to seventy-nine,...

Section 82 - Public Secondary Schools; Right of Students to Freedom of Expression; Limitations; Definitions - Section 82. The right of students to freedom of expression...

Section 83 - Dress and Appearance of Students Protected - Section 83. School officials shall not abridge the rights of...

Section 84 - Discipline of Students on Matters Unrelated to School-Sponsored Activities Prohibited - Section 84. No student shall be suspended, expelled, or otherwise...

Section 85 - Guidelines Implementing Secs. 82 to 84; Rules and Regulations; Adoption; Emergencies; Procedures - Section 85. The board of education may adopt guidelines to...

Section 86 - Application of Secs. 83 to 85 - Section 86. The provisions of sections eighty-three to eighty-five, inclusive,...

Section 87 - Intelligence Test Scores; Records - Section 87. The score of any group intelligence test administered...

Section 88 - Military Recruiters; On-Campus Recruiting Opportunities - Section 88. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the...

Section 89 - Commonwealth Charter Schools; Horace Mann Charter Schools; Applications; Enrollment; Employees; Funding - [ Section impacted by 2021, 29, Sec. 59 effective July...

Section 90 - Classroom Placement of Twins or Higher Order Multiples - Section 90. A parent or guardian of twins or higher...

Section 91 - Recovery High School; Definition; Enrollment; Student Performance; Rules and Regulations; Deduction of Home School District Allotment for Failure to Transfer Funds as Required - Section 91. (a) The term ''Recovery High School'' shall mean...

Section 92 - Innovation Schools - Section 92. (a) An Innovation School shall be a public...

Section 93 - Policy Regarding Internet Safety Measures for Schools Providing Computer Access to Students - Section 93. Every public school providing computer access to students...

Section 94 - Commonwealth Virtual Schools - Section 94. (a) As used in this section the following...

Section 95 - Reimbursement Aid to Municipalities for Costs Incurred for Federal Military Reservation Students - [Text of section added by 2014, 173, Sec. 1. See...

Section 96 - Substance Use Prevention and Abuse Education Policies for Public Schools - Section 96. Each public school shall have a policy regarding...

Section 97 - Verbal Screening Tool for Substance Abuse Disorders - [See Order of the Commissioner of Public Health, dated April...

Section 98 - Instruction on the History of Genocide - [ Text of section added by 2021, 98, Sec. 4...

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Massachusetts General Laws Title XII - Education Chapter 71 - Public Schools

Massachusetts General Laws
Title XII - Education
Chapter 71 - Public Schools