An Act requiring accountability for inequities in suspension and expulsion or RAISE Act H731/S380 | Fact Sheet

Tuesday, July 8th Hearing

School. districts are evaluated based on requirements in the Student Opportunity Act to close the student achievement gap – reducing the gap between students of color and students with disabilities in succeeding in schools compared to their peers. Even though suspension and expulsion results in thousands of hours of lost instruction and are major drivers of poor academic outcomes including lower grades, grade retention and dropout, Massachusetts schools currently do not measure the impact of disparities in suspension and expulsion as a major contributor to the achievement gap.
This bill requires schools to report on disparities in student discipline as a measure of student achievement, breaking down that data by race, disability and other sub-groups of students who experience higher rates of school exclusion.
The bill requires a description of the evidence-based programs, supports and interventions that each school district will implement to address persistent disparities in achievement, including suspension and expulsion rates.
The bill ensures accountability by requiring that each school – including charter schools – that suspends or expels a significant number of students for more than 10 total school days in a school year, that suspends or expels a disproportionate number of students from any sub-groups or that displays disparate rates of lost instruction between subgroups be investigated by DESE.

Date: Tuesday, July 8th @ 1pm
Link to sign up to testify here.
- Deadline to register: Monday, July 7th @ 1pm.
- Oral testimony is limited to two minutes per person.
In-person: State House, Room A-1
- Closest entrance: Bowdoin Street, and go up one floor
- From Beacon Street entrance: go to the 2nd floor, walk across the main hall of the State House and walk down the Grand Staircase (or take the elevator down to the 1st floor).
- The entrance will have staffers with paper sign ups for anyone interested in testifying in-person last minute.
Virtual: link will be emailed on a calendar invite after registration
Submit written testimony by:
- email to jointcommittee.education@malegislature.gov and emily.reynolds@masenate.gov
- Use subject line: “Education Committee Testimony in Support of H730/S376”
- Please cc your own state representative and state senator (find them here).
Deadline to submit written testimony: Tuesday, July 15th

Timing The first hour (maybe two hours) will most likely be taken up by elected officials who get called first. The order of bills will not be known ahead of time unfortunately.
Restrooms: Closest women and men’s public restrooms are located on either side of Room 136. All gender public restrooms located in the basement (one floor down) between rooms 26 and 27. Men’s is in room 14 and women’s is in room 44.
Food: Pack a snack or visit the 4th floor cafeteria for vending machine snacks or refrigerated meals.