Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 71, § 47A (2026)

Athletic coaches; employment

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 47A. The superintendent may contract to employ athletic coaches hired under the provisions of section fifty-nine B for periods not in excess of three years. The provisions of section forty-one relative to tenure shall not apply to such athletic coaches, unless they are otherwise entitled to tenure. All coaches shall have a current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation from the American Heart Association, American Red Cross or other agency or organization approved by the department of public health. This requirement shall not apply to a coach with a physical disability. A school district that hires a coach under this section shall not be responsible for costs associated with the certification.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 10 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1964–2023 · leading case: Sch. Comm. v. Educ. Ass'n, 666 N.E.2d 486 (Mass. 1996).

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Sch. Comm. v. Educ. Ass'n, 666 N.E.2d 486 (Mass. 1996). · cites it 7× “See G. L. c. 71,§ 47A (1992 ed.). The Act transferred the authority to make coaching appointments to school superintendents.”

Barton v. Clancy, 632 F.3d 9 (1st Cir. 2011). “Under the Lynn City Charter and state law, the may- or sits as chairman of the School Committee; the School Committee in turn has the authority to elect the superintendent; and the superintendent, in consultation with high school principals, in turn has the authority to hire and…”

City of Lynn v. Labor Relations Comm'n, 681 N.E.2d 1234 (Mass. App. Ct. 1997). “The dispute was held to be nonarbitrable: G. L. c. 71, § 47A, limits tenure of public school athletic coaches to three years, and application of the collectively-bargained just cause provision to a renewal decision was incompatible with the statute.”

Lemire v. Silva, 104 F. Supp. 2d 80 (D. Mass. 2000). “” M.G.L. c. 71 § 47A (1996). Massachusetts law further provides that a principal “shall be responsible .”

Dep't of State Police v. Massachusetts Org. of State Engineers & Scientists, 924 N.E.2d 248 (Mass. 2010). “34, 38-41 (1996) (Natick) (superintendent’s decision not to reappoint grievant *456 as coach not subject to arbitration; collective bargaining agreement could not abrogate provision in G. L. c. 71, § 47A, vesting exclusive appointment authority in superintendent); Massachusetts…”

Sullivan v. Sch. Comm. of Revere, 202 N.E.2d 612 (Mass. 1964). “1 See, for present three year limit on such contracts, G. L. c. 71, § 47A, inserted by St. 1954, c.”

Konovalchik v. Sch. Comm. of Salem, 226 N.E.2d 222 (Mass. 1967). “G. L. c. 71, § 47A. The school committee on December 13,1965, by a vote of four in favor to three opposed voted to award to the plaintiff a contract as football coach for three years from December 31, 1965, at a salary of $3,000 for the first year and *543 $3,500 for the two…”

Bd. of Higher Educ. v. Commonwealth Emp. Relations Bd. (Mass. 2019). “34, 37-38 (1996), this court concluded that a provision in a collective bargaining agreement prohibiting the nonrenewal of a teacher's employment without just cause could not be used to require the reappointment of a school athletic coach, because G. L. c. 71, § 47A,…”

Greater Lowell Technical High Sch. Sch. Comm. v. Greater Lowell Reg'l Teachers Ass'n. (Mass. App. Ct. 2023). “The school committee responds that the interview process, and the union's request that Jones be appointed the coach, lies exclusively within the superintendent-director's decision-making authority pursuant to G. L. c. 71, § 47A (superintendent may contract to employ athletic…”

Natick Sch. Comm. v. Educ. Ass'n, 3 Mass. L. Rptr. 288 (Mass. Super. Ct. 1995). “The Committee claims under G.L.c. 71, §§47A and 59B (Supp. 1994) that “a school committee lacks legal authority to bind itself in a collective bargaining agreement with respect to the identity of persons to be employed as coaches and advisors.”

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