Governor Patrick signs dropout legislation

On August 14, Governor Deval Patrick signed dropout prevention and recovery legislation. The bill establishes a commission of state officials, legislators and others to recommend a goal and timetable for reducing the dropout rate in the Commonwealth. The Commission must make recommendations to the legislature by May 15, 2009. Read the formatted bill. Also, see the signed version.

The legislature seeks recommendations on early indicator systems to identify students who are risk of dropping out, outreach to those who have left already, early interventions, and alternative pathways to a diploma. It also seeks a recommendation on raising the compulsory attendance age from 16 to 18. It leaves to the Commission the matter of designating a specific trigger for mandatory local action plans. The Senate had proposed a 4% annual dropout rate as a trigger, which would have identified 61 local school districts.

Senator Edward M. Augustus led the charge over 18 months on the Senate side, which passed an earlier version of the bill on June 24. Representative Marie St. Fleur, with support from the Speaker's Office, took the legislation through the House. Mayor Menino's staff helped move the bill at crucial moments.