JA-E Student Policies Goals

STUDENT POLICIES GOALS

Active Efforts

1. The School Committee of each school district shall establish policies, promote regulations and procedures, and implement monitoring and evaluation practices that support and promote affirmative action and stimulate necessary changes to ensure that all obstacles to equal access to school programs for all persons are removed, regardless of race, sex, color, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or limited English-speaking ability, no matter how subtle or unintended. Such policies shall include a requirement for an annual evaluation of all aspects of the K through 12 school program to insure that all students regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, or national origin are given an opportunity to develop skills, competence, and experience, and to receive appropriate guidance so that they may be able to participate in all programs offered by the school including athletics and other extracurricular activities. Special attention shall be given to schools and programs in which students of either sex or of racial or national origin groups present in the community are markedly underrepresented.

2. If participation in any school sponsored program or activity has previously been limited to students based on race, color, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness or religion, then the School Committee shall make active efforts to insure that equal access to all school sponsored programs or activities be provided within the system.

3. It shall be the responsibility of the School Committee and the Superintendent to provide necessary information and in-service training for all school personnel in order to:

   1. 1. Advance means of achieving educational goals in a manner free from discrimination on account of race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness or national origin.

      2. Enhance consciousness of the kinds of discriminatory and prejudicial practices and behavior, which may occur in the public schools.

4. The Superintendent, as an agent of the School Committee, shall promote and direct effective procedures for the full implementation of 603 CMR 26.00, and shall make recommendations to the Committee for the necessary policies, program changes, and budget resource allocations needed to achieve adherence to 603 CMR 26.00.

5. At the beginning of the school year, the Superintendent of each school system shall be responsible for sending to the parents of all school age children, in their primary language, a notice of the existence of S. 1971 c.622 and its implications. Such notice shall include the information that all courses of study, extracurricular activities and services offered by the school are available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness or national origin. This notice may be included with other communications sent to parents by the school system. Upon request, the Department of Education shall provide a translation in requested languages to assist Superintendents in complying with this section. The Superintendent shall inform the community of the existence of the law and of its implications through newspaper releases or radio or television announcements.

6. The Superintendent shall ensure that all students are annually informed in a manner certain to each them of the existence of St. 1971, c.622 and its implications. Students shall be informed that all courses of study, extracurricular activities, services, and facilities offered by the school are available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness or national origin.

7. The Superintendent of each school system shall make certain that employers who recruit new employees in and through the schools of that district, do not discriminate on account of race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness or national origin in their hiring and recruitment practices within the schools. Before any employer is allowed to recruit at or through any school, they shall be required to sign a statement that they do not discriminate in hiring or employment practices on account of race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness or national origin.

8. Since adults serve as role models for students, school authorities shall utilize adults in a variety of jobs, and as members of policy-making committees, to the extent consistent with their contractual obligations, without regard to race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness or national origin.

9. Adults serving on athletic regulatory boards shall fairly represent the interests of both male and female students.

10. Because selective secondary schools have had atypical student bodies in the past, such selective secondary schools, including but not limited to selective academic high schools, regional vocational-technical schools and trade schools, shall admit qualified applicants of each sex and racial and ethnic groups in numbers proportionate to the existence of members of such class in the secondary school population of the geographic area served by that school. After the period for application to the school has closed, if it is found that qualified applicants of one of the above classes have not applied in numbers sufficient to maintain this proportion, qualified students of the other categories may be selected to fill the remaining openings.

11. Any contributions to a school for activities and monetary awards within or sponsored by the school or for scholarships administered by the school made after the effective date of 603 CMR 26.00 by any person, group or organization shall be free from any restrictions based upon race, color, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness or national origin.

12. The opportunity to receive guidance and counseling in a student’s primary language should be made available to students from homes where English is not the primary language spoken.

SOURCE: MASC

LEGAL REF.: 603 CMR 26:00

Approved by School Committee: February 25, 2019