HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2747 FILED ON: 2/18/2021
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Patricia A. Duffy and Natalie M. Higgins
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act assisting low-income students success through work-study.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Patricia A. Duffy 5th Hampden 2/18/2021
1 of 1
 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2747 FILED ON: 2/18/2021
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
[Pin Slip]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)
_______________
An Act assisting low-income students success through work-study.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. To provide for the cost of creating a career pathways work-study trust fund
2 and community college staff positions for the purposes of supporting the work of the trust fund
3 established in section 5. The sums set forth in section 2 are hereby appropriated subject to the
4 laws regulating the disbursement of public funds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022. These
5 sums shall be in addition to any amounts previously appropriated and made available for the
6 purposes of those items. These sums shall be made available until June 30, 2023.
7 SECTION 2.
8 COMMUNITY COLLEGES
9 7518-XXXX For the Massachusetts Community College Career Pathways Trust Fund
10 established in section 2DDDDD of chapter 29 of the General Laws, inserted by this act, provided
11 that the program shall be administered by Bunker Hill Community College through its entity, the
12 Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges; provided, further, that no more than
13 $100,000 shall be used to administer the program……………………………$1,100,000
1 of 6
14 7518-XXXX For education opportunity coordinators established in section 22B of
15 chapter 15A of the General Laws, inserted by this act, to assist low-income students in earning a
16 community college certificate or two-year associate’s
17 degree…………………………….$1,250,000
18 SECTION 3. Chapter 15A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
19 section 22A the following section: -
20 Section 22B. (a) Subject to appropriation, Bunker Hill Community College shall support
21 education opportunity coordinator positions, through its entity, the Massachusetts Association of
22 Community Colleges. The coordinators shall work with low-income students, including
23 recipients of cash assistance through transitional aid to families with dependent children, who
24 enroll in community colleges across the state for the purpose of earning a certificate or two-year
25 degree. Each community college shall have at least 1 on-campus coordinator. Coordinators shall
26 provide focused assistance to recipients, including but not limited to developing career plans,
27 identifying a program of study, accessing financial aid and work study, and helping obtain other
28 supports such as childcare and transportation assistance. The coordinators shall work with
29 recipients, community colleges, and case managers at the department of transitional assistance
30 and other state agencies. Bunker Hill Community College, through its entity, the Massachusetts
31 Association of Community Colleges, shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the
32 community colleges to ensure coordinators execute the duties of this paragraph.
33 (b) Bunker Hill Community College, through its entity, the Massachusetts Association of
34 Community Colleges, in collaboration with relevant state agencies, shall annually file a report
35 with the chairs of the joint committee on higher education, the joint committee on children,
2 of 6
36 families, and persons with disabilities, and the house and senate committees on ways and means
37 that shall include, but not be limited to:- (1) information regarding the efficacy of community
38 college placements in developing careers for recipients of cash assistance; (2) the number of
39 recipients enrolled in certificate or two-year degree programs at community colleges; (3) the
40 number of recipients enrolled in a certificate or two-year degree program receiving grants under
41 the Massachusetts Community College Career Pathways Trust Fund established in section
42 2DDDDD of chapter 29; (4) student success rates of recipients enrolled in a certificate or two-
43 year degree program; (5) employment rates of former recipients 6 months after completing a
44 degree or certificate program; and (6) employment rates of former recipients 1 year after
45 completing a degree or certificate program. No personal identifying information shall be used in
46 the report. The first report shall be filed on or before August 1 two years after said Massachusetts
47 Community College Career Pathways Trust Fund is established and annually, on or before
48 August 1, after that.
49 SECTION 4. Paragraph (B) of section 2 of chapter 18 of the General Laws, as appearing
50 in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following clause: -
51 (t) take all necessary actions, including connecting individuals with education
52 opportunity coordinators established in section 22B of chapter 15A, to ensure that individuals
53 receiving cash assistance through transitional aid to families with dependent children may
54 engage in community college programs where assessment shows their chances of achieving
55 long-term careers will improve.
56 SECTION 5. Chapter 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
57 section 2CCCCC the following section: -
3 of 6
58 2DDDDD. (a) There is hereby established and set up on the books of the commonwealth
59 a separate fund to be known as the Massachusetts Community College Career Pathways Trust
60 Fund, hereinafter referred to as the fund, to which shall be credited any appropriations, bond
61 proceeds or other monies authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be
62 credited thereto. Bunker Hill Community College, hereinafter referred to as the college, shall
63 hold the fund in an account or accounts separate from other funds or accounts; provided, that the
64 fund shall be administered by the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges. Amounts
65 credited to the fund shall be used by the college to carry out the purposes of the fund as set forth
66 in this section. Any monies unexpended at the end of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund and
67 may be expended by the college without further appropriation.
68 (b) The fund shall be used to provide and fund state work-study employment
69 opportunities for eligible low-income students enrolled in a certificate or two-year associate
70 degree program at any community college. Preference shall be given to students who are
71 recipients of cash assistance through transitional aid to families with dependent children.
72 (c) Funds expended shall, to the greatest extent feasible, be for jobs at: (1) the community
73 college; (2) an off-campus placement that provides career development opportunities that are
74 related to the student’s course of study; or (3) an off-campus community service placement as
75 defined in subsection (e).
76 (d) The share from funds distributed shall not exceed 80 percent of the total
77 compensation paid to students, with the exception of jobs at the community college the student
78 attends, or that provide career development opportunities related to the student’s course of study.
79 Employers shall pay the costs of any employee benefits, including all payments due as an
4 of 6
 80 employer's contribution under the state workman's compensation laws, federal Social Security
81 laws, and other applicable laws. The federal work-study program shall not be used to provide the
82 employer’s share of student compensation.
83 (e) An off-campus community service placement shall include direct service planning,
84 career development or applied research that is designed to improve the quality of life for
85 residents of the community served, particularly low-income residents, in such fields as health
86 care, child care, education, literacy training, welfare, social services, public safety, crime
87 prevention and control, transportation, recreation, housing and neighborhood improvement, rural
88 development, and community improvement. Placements shall be identified by the Massachusetts
89 Association of Community Colleges through formal or informal consultation with local
90 nonprofit, governmental, and community-based organizations.
91 The placement shall not be at an organization for whom a substantial portion of its
92 mission is political activities, including but not limited to electing candidates, influencing ballot
93 questions, and raising money for political campaigns.
94 (f) Students shall be paid the rate of pay as compared to entry-level salaries and wages
95 provided other employees engaged in similar work, provided total applicant resources shall be
96 considered to ensure to the maximum extent feasible that students may remain qualified for other
97 federal and state public assistance programs. The office may make reasonable adjustments to
98 salaries and wages to maximize a student’s participation in other federal and state public
99 assistance programs.
100 (g) Funds shall not be expended under the program to compensate students for hours
101 worked in excess of an average of 15 hours per week over the period of enrollment or 40 hours
5 of 6
102 per week during vacation period. A student shall not be concurrently employed in the same
103 position by the fund and the federal work-study program and exceed the 15 hours per week
104 average.
105 (h) Students may receive academic credit for work experience gained through fund jobs.
106 (i) Monies received from the Massachusetts Community College Career Pathways Trust
107 Fund established in section 2DDDDD of chapter 29 of the General Laws shall not count against
108 a recipient’s income, assets, or any other eligibility standard in qualifying for cash assistance
109 benefits.
110 (j) The college and the department of higher education, hereinafter referred to as the
111 department, shall enter a memorandum of understanding to ensure that funds are properly
112 expended and disbursed. The college shall enter into agreements with employers, community
113 colleges, the department of transitional assistance, and others for the operation of the fund. These
114 agreements shall include such provisions as the office may deem necessary or appropriate to
115 carry out the purposes of this section. These agreements shall be made available to the
116 department upon request.
6 of 6


Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 18-2