Act relative to dropout prevention: Senate 208

Monfredo: attempt to end the school to prison pipeline
notes that Rep. O'Keefe is here
early warning indicator system, graduation coaches, individualized family engagement plan
Biancheria: early warning system
"unfunded mandate, once again"
"we start now asking, what dollars are you going to invest in this?"
"that takes money...we don't have the funds"
available to us now, not at the end of this, not in the middle of this
"can't be something that we set up and not have the dollar amount beside this"
O'Connell: my concern with the statute is summarized by Ms. Biancheria
endorse but only by local option and separately dedicated funding source be established and maintained by the Legislature
this bill does not contain any mechanism for funding
program will incur costs for us; keeping kids in school until 18
requires workshops to take place
early warning indicator...costly in terms of time and effort
requirement for graduation coaches
individualized family engagement plans
Novick: While I admire the intent, we go to the state house and complain about unfunded mandates and then support this?
when I was at the State House, those who were testifying in favor were the outside agencies that were lining up to fill these jobs
I asked Senator Chang-Diaz if she'd come to Worcester to look at the work we do: the Creamer Center, etc...they didn't. We don't need to go to Georgia: we do good things here, but nobody comes from Boston to offer to fund these.
don't want Boston dictating our hiring practices, as is done in this regarding a graduation coach. We decide what sort of workshops we need for parents and kids. We don't need that legislated.
Monfredo: move forward on changing dropout rate to 18
Foley: dropout problem across the country
taking a look at how we do this on the state level
where was Georgia's rate relative to our rate?
Biancheria: when we are looking at confronting the problem, how many students were lost by other cities?
still have programs that come back to our building

Vote 5-2 in favor, Colorio and Novick against