State Senator Jason Lewis proudly represents the people of the Fifth Middlesex District of Massachusetts, which includes the cities and towns of Malden, Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, and parts of Winchester. First elected to the Senate in 2014, he has delivered results for his district and been a progressive leader for the Commonwealth. Senator Lewis has long championed educational equity and led the effort to pass the Student Opportunity Act in 2019, landmark legislation to ensure that every child in Massachusetts has access to a high quality public education. Senator Lewis also led the effort in 2018 to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and to create a new universal paid family and medical leave program. He was recognized for this achievement by being named an Honorable Mention for the 2018 Bostonians of the Year by the Boston Globe.
An Act providing affordable and accessible high quality early education and care to promote child development and well-being and support the economy in the Commonwealth (SD.1307) – filed together with Senator Moran
Creates a framework to phase-in universal access to high quality, affordable early education and child care. This bill will improve child development, strengthen and support early ed providers and educators, help working families, and better support the needs of businesses and a stronger, more equitable economy. (Filed in the House by Representatives Gordon and Madaro as HD.1960 and supported by the statewide Common Start Coalition).
An Act to increase access to higher education for disadvantaged students (SD.1873)
Increases access to higher education for disadvantaged students by eliminating any requirement that a standardized test be required for admission to a higher education institution (with certain exemptions).
An Act relative to anti-racism, equity and justice in education (SD.2014)
Advances racial justice through establishment of a new permanent commission and public-private trust fund to support anti-racism efforts, curriculum development, professional development, and educator diversity in our public schools. (Filed in the House by Representatives Elugardo and Uyterhouven as HD.3341).
An Act establishing a student tuition recovery fund (SD.468)
Creates a Student Tuition Recovery Fund to help MA students who have been harmed by for-profit schools. The Fund would give eligible students a chance to recover tuition and related costs if the for-profit school they attended closed, failed to provide the services promised to their students, or violated state law.
An Act to increase student access to career technical education schools and programs which are aligned with regional labor market needs (SD.470)
Increases access to technical education and elevates technical career pathways through mandating the appointment of a Deputy Commissioner for Career Technical Education and the establishment of an Office of Career Technical Education within DESE. (Filed in the House by Representative Lipper-Garabedian as HD.946).
An Act relative to educator diversity (SD.2208)
Promotes racial diversity in our classrooms by allowing the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education to suspend MTEL requirements so long as the prospective licensee has demonstrated classroom teaching excellence, along with other strategies to increase the recruitment and retention of educators of color. (Filed in the House by Representative Peisch as HD.3641).
An Act relative to school operational efficiency (SD.682)
Improves efficiency for school districts by updating the Uniform Procurement Act to reduce bidding requirements for projects under $100,000. (Filed in the House by Representative Garlick as HD.2629).