Commonwealth of Massachusetts Central Mass. SAC
c/o Department of Education Greater Boston SAC
350 Main Street Northeast SAC
Malden, MA 02148-5138 Southeast SAC
781-338-6320 Western Mass. SAC
Did you know that high school students from throughout the state meet monthly at the Department of
Education in Malden to discuss the educational concerns of the student body? These students form the Student
Advisory Council, which is divided into two groups: Regional Student Advisory Councils (RSAC) and the State Student
Advisory Council (SSAC). The five Regional Councils are composed of two elected students from each school in the
state. Delegates elected from each RSAC represent their regions at the SSAC. These delegates provide a student
perspective on decisions made by the Massachusetts Board of Education.
According to Massachusetts General Law, each high school in Massachusetts (including charter, private and
predominantly public) is required to hold elections for RSAC. The students that attend the RSAC meetings discuss
concerns in their regions and determine appropriate courses of action. It is important that every school participates in
this effort of getting students’ voices heard statewide.
The SSAC addresses more general issues that pertain to the entire state. SSAC members elect a student
chair who is one of the nine active members on the Board of Education. This is a voting position on the Board that
conveys the voice of the students to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
State Student Advisory Council Legislative Workgroup
In order to accomplish their goals, the SSAC has Currently, there are two proposed bills that
established six work groups that focus on issues in have been drafted by the Legislative workgroup.
education ~ Budget, MCAS, School Climate, The first bill would guarantee opportunities for
Curriculum Enrichment, Legislative and Public students from families with limited economic means
Relations. and the second bill would ensure students’ rights in
schools and communities.
The first bill is an amendment to the anti-
State Workgroup Updates discrimination laws that would make it illegal to
discriminate on the basis of socioeconomic status.
Budget Workgroup If passed, this bill would benefit students who fall
between 130-180% below the poverty level. The
The Budget workgroup is seeking to educate amendment would cap out of pocket expenses for
students on the processes and effects of overrides. these students.
During the year the group is also considering lobbying
at the state level to obtain more money for public The second proposed bill is an act to amend
education throughout the state. M.G.L. Chapter 71, Section 86, which concerns
student discipline. School authorities currently
have the ability to take action or to discipline
Curriculum Enrichment Workgroup students for any conduct or behavior they deem
inappropriate, even if the incident did not take place
In an effort to balance social and natural on school grounds.
sciences, the Curriculum Enrichment workgroup is
looking to restore comprehensive health education and The Legislative Workgroup is acting upon this
arts programs, and to provide instructive opportunities because they feel it is an infringement of student
for feasible applications of “life skills”. rights and an invasion of the personal lives of
students. Therefore the group proposes to amend
M.G.L. Chapter 71, Section 86, so that such
punishment will be illegal, except in the case of a
felony.
1
MCAS Workgroup Board Update
In order to reach a consensus, the regional and state Our student chair, Jeff DeFlavio, is a voting
councils voted on the MCAS graduation requirement. member on the state Board of Education. This is the
The results of the votes determined that as a council we nine-member board that is responsible for interpreting
do not support MCAS as a graduation requirement. and implementing laws that apply to education in
However, we do support the use of MCAS as a Massachusetts.
diagnostic tool. The group wants to ensure that During the meetings so far this school year, the
students are aware of the goals and regulations of Board has: reviewed the criteria used to determine if
MCAS. The MCAS group is working to coordinate an schools are under performing; heard reports from the
initiative to create an advisory committee that reviews Educational Management Audit Council (EMAC)
and discusses the information provided to the Board of regarding Holyoke, Keefe Tech, North Adams &
Education. The committee will include members the Winchendon; solicited public comment on regulations
board, community members, teachers, students and for School Finance, School Construction, amending
parents. the definition of the Competency Determination, and a
model policy for school sponsored student travel; voted
Public Relations Workgroup to approve those regulations; submitted it’s FY05
legislative and budget proposals; voted to allow 2
The public relations work group goals are to raise Charter Schools to enter into loan agreements that
awareness throughout the state of the objectives and extend beyond their current charters; voted to accept
accomplishments of the SSAC. This group aims to the improvement plans of several schools previously
communicate with the general public and the determined to be under performing; voted to place
educational community through the distribution of Keefe Tech and North Adams Public Schools on
materials and publications. “watch” status (regarding under performing schools)
and voted to declare Holyoke Public Schools and
School Climate Workgroup Winchendon Public Schools to be under performing
school districts.
The Board also approved approximately $17
Another state-level group, School Climate, is million in grants to schools.
currently in the process of revising a School Climate
Activities booklet developed by a previous SSAC. This Regional Student Advisory
booklet has been used as a resource for student
councils to address diversity, violence, emergency Councils (RSAC)
response awareness, substance abuse, drunk driving,
smoking, life-choices, and self-image issues within their Central Mass RSAC meets at Assabet Valley
schools. The group is working on editing the existing Regional Voc/Tech HS in Marlboro, Chairs Maria
guide, along with adding new activities, clubs, and Hughes & Rosamaria Mastrocola, Advisor: Holly
speakers to this guide. Alperin halperin@doe.mass.edu
Greater Boston RSAC meets at the Department of
For more information about the SSAC, how you can get Education in Malden, Chairs: Joe Modugno & Josh
involved, or questions on anything in this newsletter, Sharp, Advisor: Juan Tapia jtapia@doe.mass.edu
contact us at:
Northeast RSAC meets at North Shore Community
Email: SSACpublicrelations@hotmail.com College in Danvers, Chairs: Alison Kenney & Laurie
dtaylor@doe.mass.edu Marino, Advisor: Donna Taylor dtaylor@doe.mass.edu
http://www.doe.mass.edu/hssss/program/advisory.html
Phone: (781) 338-6320
Southeast RSAC meets at Wareham High School in
Or send mail to: Wareham, Chairs: Amanda Machado & Sarah
Donna Taylor Matthews, Advisor: Diane Beck dbeck@doe.mass.edu
Student Advisory Council
c/o Massachusetts Dept. of Education Western Mass RSAC meets at Northampton High
350 Main Street School in Northampton, Chairs: Jeff Bacon & Carly
Malden, MA 02148 Chase, Advisor: Donna Taylor dtaylor@doe.mass.edu