Family & Community Students & Families
Student Support, Career & Education Services

Outreach on Educational Options and Academic Support Opportunities

Required Notices Regarding Students who Leave High School without Graduating

The beginning of a new school year brings with it the need to review and reinforce the safety net of educational options and academic support opportunities across the Commonwealth. These opportunities are particularly important for students who are leaving or have left school without having met the competency determination required for high school graduation.

Our goal is for all of these young people to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to earn a high school diploma and be adequately prepared for higher education, rewarding employment, and responsible citizenship. As such, we are advising you of two requirements intended to encourage students and former students to continue their education within their community or in academic support programs that are available at locations throughout the Commonwealth. Please bring this information to the attention of high school principals and guidance counselors. To help inform parents/guardians and students of these requirements as well, please also consider including this information in future student handbooks.

I. Required Notice and Invitation to Student/Parent to Meet about Educational Options

Mass. General Laws Chapter 76, Section 18 states that no student age 16 or older shall be considered to have permanently left public school unless a school administrator has sent notice to the student's parent or guardian inviting the parent/guardian and student to a meeting to discuss educational options available to the student. The statute reads as follows:

No student sixteen years of age or older shall be considered to have permanently left public school unless an administrator of the school which such student last attended has sent notice within a period of ten days from the student's fifteenth consecutive absence to the parent or guardian of such student in both the primary language of such parent or guardian and English, stating that such student and his parent or guardian may meet with the school committee or its designated representatives prior to the student permanently leaving school, within ten days after the sending of the notice. The time for meeting may be extended at the request of the parent or guardian and with the consent of the school committee or its designated representatives, provided no extension shall be for longer than fourteen days. Such meeting shall be for the purpose of discussing the reasons for the student permanently leaving school and alternative educational or other placements.

The superintendent of every city, town or regional school district shall annually report to the department of education the number of students sixteen years of age or older who have permanently left school, the reasons for such leaving and any alternative educational or other placement which each such student has taken.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to a student who has completed the regular course of education, or apply to a student whose absences have been excused, nor shall this section be construed to permanently exclude a student who wishes to resume his education.

The intent of this law, which has been in effect since 1973, is to encourage schools to reach out to parents or guardians of students at risk of dropping out, by inviting the parent/guardian and the student to meet with a school administrator or counselor to discuss the educational options that are available. In addition to the school last attended, these educational options may include, but are not limited to:

• Alternative Education programs - http://www.doe.mass.edu/alted,
• Career and Technical Education - http://www.doe.mass.edu/cte/,
• Charter Schools - http://www.doe.mass.edu/charter/, and
• School Choice options - http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/schoice/.

II. Required Annual Notice for Two Years After Students Leave School Without a Diploma

Starting in school year 2006-2007, to help raise awareness about academic support options for students who have left school without having earned the competency determination for high school graduation, there is a new Department requirement:

All Massachusetts public school districts serving students in high school grades must provide annual written notice to former students who have not yet earned their competency determinations, and who have not transferred to another school: (i) to inform them of the availability of publicly funded post-high school academic support programs, and (ii) to encourage them to participate in those programs. At a minimum, a district must send annual written notice by first class mail to the last known address of each such student who attended a high school in the district within the past two years.

The Department's Academic Support web pages will be updated in early September 2006 with information about the entities that are funded to run academic support programs during the school year and summer 2006-2007. In particular, the Pathways to Success pages may help you learn more about options available for students in your area. If you have questions, you may contact the Student Support Unit via email (achievement@doe.mass.edu) or phone (781-338-3203).

Additionally, to help ensure student participation in academic support programs, districts are strongly encouraged to use multiple recruitment strategies that extend beyond the minimum notification requirement. These strategies may include, but are not limited to:

• partnering with other local entities (such as community-based organizations) on efforts to reach students;
• using students' Individual Success Plans as a tool to help teachers and support programs better address students' academic support needs;
• meeting with students throughout their years in high school, encouraging them to take advantage of support options;
• reviewing existing school policies to ensure that they do not create barriers for reengaging students who have left the educational community; and
• making multiple efforts to reach students, by phone, mail, and/or in person. These efforts reinforce the message that there are school and district staff that students can turn to for support and educational guidance.

Please note that the requirements noted above in sections I and II of this memorandum apply to students who most recently attended school in the district, as well as to district students who have been receiving their education in settings run by the Department of Youth Services (DYS), the Department of Mental Health (DMH), or the Department of Public Health (DPH) and who have decided to drop out of school after their release from these settings.

Thank you for your attention to these important matters.

Last Updated: September 7, 2006