MassCAN - Legislative and Budget Language

MassCAN Legislative and Budget Language

In August 2014, the Massachusetts House and Senate passed, and Governor Deval Patrick signed, House Bill 4377, An Act Promoting Economic Growth Across the Commonwealth. This Bill contained the language, “The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative shall serve as the state agent in support of the objectives of the Massachusetts Computing Attainment Network, or MassCAN” (p. 73). The Bill went on to define the membership of the MassCAN advisory board and to enumerate, subject to the availability of funds, eight objectives for MassCAN.

The Bill was passed in FY15 (July 1, 2014–June 30, 2015), and the Budget Language reflects an initial allocation of $1.5 million for FY16; however, these funds were quickly frozen due to a shortfall in state revenues. Near the end of FY16 as the state’s finances improved the funds were restored and allowed to be carried over into FY17.

MassCAN was expected to obtain at least $1 in matching funds from non-state sources of funding for every $1 expended within the Commonwealth, but the program found it difficult to raise these “private” matching funds. The state allowed MassCAN to continue spending FY16 funds through FY17 and the first half of FY18. In FY17, $1.5 million in the state budget was allocated to MassCAN, but these funds were not disbursed due to the carry-over of FY16 funds. FY18 funding was reduced to $850,000, due to the ongoing difficulty of raising private matching funds. The state allowed FY18 (July 1, 2017- June 30, 2018) funds to be used into FY19, and they were partially used through August 2018.

Explore the MassCAN Legislative and Budget Language in the accordion below, or download the document for future reference.

Note: This language is excerpted from Bill No. 4377

HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4377

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

In the Year Two Thousand Fourteen

__________________________________

An Act promoting economic growth across the Commonwealth.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to strengthen and promote forthwith economic growth across the commonwealth, therefore, it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. To provide for certain unanticipated obligations of the commonwealth, to provide for alterations of purposes for current appropriations and to meet certain requirements of law, the sums set forth in section 2A are hereby appropriated from the General Fund, unless specifically designated otherwise, for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this section and subject to the laws regulating the disbursement of public funds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015. These sums shall be in addition to any amounts previously appropriated and made available for the purposes of those items. Unexpended balances of appropriations in section 2A shall be made available for expenditure in fiscal years 2016 and 2017.

SECTION 2A. EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE

Office of the Secretary.

Massachusetts Office of Business Development.

7007-1202 For the Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation established in section 3 of chapter 40J of the General Laws and doing business as the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, to develop and implement a plan to promote and establish computer science education in public schools as required by section XX; provided however, that the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative shall seek private funds necessary to match contributions equal to $1 for every $1 contributed by the collaborative; provided further, that the report shall be filed with the chairs of the senate and house committees on ways and means and the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies that includes a 3-year strategic plan and annual goals and progress in achieving those goals; and provided further, that the reports shall be made available on the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative website $1,500,000

SECTION 102.

(a) The Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation doing business as the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative shall, subject to appropriation, develop and implement a plan to promote and establish computer science education in public schools. The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative shall serve as the state agent in support of the objectives of the Massachusetts Computing Attainment Network, or MassCAN; provided, that the primary goal of MassCAN shall be to strengthen the growth and vitality of the state’s technology industry and the technology dependent business sectors by implementing a broad-based education and workforce strategy with the objective of increasing the number of students prepared to pursue computing technology careers. In furtherance of this goal, MassCAN shall seek to promote an environment in which all students in grades kindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, have access to computer science courses. MassCAN may, subject to the availability of funds:

(i) promote the development and implementation of educational programs, courses and modules for students in grades kindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, and teachers;

(ii) collaborate with the department of elementary and secondary education in developing new voluntary kindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, computer science standards;

(iii) collaborating with the department of higher education to create computer science professional development hubs at universities in each of the regional PreK-16 science, technology, engineering and mathematics networks established by the department;

(iv) develop a school district-based program to assist teachers and administrators with the implementation of new computer science courses;

(v) develop and maintain a website to share computer science resources and broadly communicate best practices and successes;

(vi) connect computer science students with industry professionals to enhance students’ understanding of the relevance of their educational experience to the workplace and science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, career opportunities;

(vii) identify the particular needs of school districts with disproportionately high numbers of underrepresented minorities; and

(viii) leverage at least $1 in matching funds from non-state sources of funding for every $1 expended within the commonwealth. MassCAN shall take into consideration the recommendations of the STEM advisory council when developing and implementing educational programs.

(b) MassCAN shall be guided by the MassCAN advisory board to be appointed by the governor, 1 whom shall be recommended by Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, Inc., 1 of whom shall be recommended by the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, 1 of whom shall be recommended by the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council, Inc., 1 of whom shall be recommended by a federally-funded research corporation, 1 of whom shall be recommended by a public university computer science department chair, 1 of whom shall be recommended by the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc., 1 of whom shall be recommended by the Greater Boston chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association, 1 of whom shall be recommended by the METCO program and 1 whom shall be recommended by the Massachusetts chapter of the Society of Women Engineers.

(c) The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative shall file an annual report by September 30 for the duration of the program with the chairs of the senate and house committees on ways and means and the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies that shall include a 3-year strategic plan and annual goals and progress in achieving those goals. The reports shall be made available on the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s website.

Note: these excerpts are taken from the Massachusetts FY16 and FY18 Budgets respectively.

FY16 State Budget Language for MassCAN Allocation

7007-1202 Mass Tech Collaborative – Computer Science Education 1,700,000 Promotion

For the Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation established in section 3 of chapter 40J of the General Laws and doing business as the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, to develop and implement a plan to promote and establish computer science education in public schools as required by section 102 of chapter 287 of the Acts of 2014; provided, that the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative shall seek private funds necessary to match contributions equal to $1 for every $1 contributed by the collaborative; provided further, that the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative shall file an annual report by September 30 for the duration of the program; provided further, that the report shall be filed with the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies that includes a 3-year strategic plan and annual goals and progress in achieving those goals; and provided further, that the reports shall be made available on the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative website.

FY18 State Budget Language for MassCAN Allocation

7007-1202 Mass Tech Collaborative – Computer Science Education $850,000 Promotion

7007-1202.. For the Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation established in section 3 of chapter 40J of the General Laws to develop and implement a plan to promote and establish computer science education in public schools as required by section 6I of chapter 40J of the General Laws; provided, that the Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation shall seek out matching private funds equal to $1 for every $1 contributed by the corporation; provided further, that a report shall be filed with the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies that includes a 3-year strategic plan, annual goals and progress in achieving those goals; and provided further, that said report shall be published on the Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation’s website...... $850,000 .