Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H4419 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	HOUSE . . . . . . . . No. 4419
2	2	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
3	3	________________________________________
4	4	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, February 26, 2024.
5	5	The committee on Education, to whom were referred the petition
6	6	(accompanied by bill, House, No. 470) of Mindy Domb relative to climate
7	7	science education and establishing a climate science education trust fund,
8	8	the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 491) of Kenneth I. Gordon
9	9	relative to science curriculum standards, the petition (accompanied by
10	10	bill, House, No. 496) of James K. Hawkins and others relative to
11	11	implementing elementary and secondary interdisciplinary climate justice
12	12	education in the Commonwealth, the petition (accompanied by bill,
13	13	House, No. 504) of Connor Pozzi relative to environmental science in
14	14	public school curriculums, the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
15	15	576) of Danillo A. Sena, Simon Cataldo and Sean Garballey relative to
16	16	implementing an elementary and secondary interdisciplinary climate
17	17	education curriculum in the public schools, the petition (accompanied by
18	18	bill, House, No. 3887) of James K. Hawkins and Tram T. Nguyen for
19	19	legislation to include climate education in the elementary and secondary
20	20	school curriculum, reports recommending that the accompanying bill
21	21	(House, No. 4419) ought to pass.
22	22	For the committee,
23	23	DENISE C. GARLICK. 1 of 4
24	24	FILED ON: 2/5/2024
25	25	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4419
26	26	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
27	27	_______________
28	28	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
29	29	(2023-2024)
30	30	_______________
31	31	An Act implementing elementary and secondary interdisciplinary climate literacy education
32	32	across the Commonwealth.
33	33	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
34	34	of the same, as follows:
35	35	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 29 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
36	36	2is hereby amended by adding the following section.
37	37	3 Section 2BBBBBB (a). To achieve, promote and support the instruction of climate
38	38	4science education for K-12 public school students in districts across the commonwealth, there
39	39	5shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as
40	40	6the Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Trust Fund.  There shall be credited to the fund: (1)
41	41	7revenue from appropriations and other money authorized by the general court and specifically
42	42	8designated to be credited to the fund; (2) funds from public and private sources such as gifts,
43	43	9grants, and donations to further climate science education; and (3) interest earned on money in
44	44	10the fund.  Amounts credited to the fund shall not be subject to further appropriation and any
45	45	11money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund.
46	46	12  (b) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education, in consultation with the
47	47	13Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Council established in section 1U(b) of chapter 69 of the 2 of 4
48	48	14General Laws, shall make expenditures from the fund to support Interdisciplinary Climate
49	49	15Literacy education.  In making such expenditures, the commissioner shall prioritize:
50	50	16 (1) underserved communities across the commonwealth including those public schools or
51	51	17school districts with high concentrations of economically-disadvantaged students; those public
52	52	18schools or school districts which serve high proportion of students from environmental justice
53	53	19populations, as defined in section 62 of chapter 30; or which are located in environmental justice
54	54	20populations; and
55	55	21 (2) communities that have or will in the future experience disproportionate effects of the
56	56	22change in climate.
57	57	23 SECTION 2. Section 1D of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
58	58	24Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “skills”, in line 38, the following
59	59	25words:-
60	60	26 , interdisciplinary climate literacy
61	61	27 SECTION 3. Section 1D of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
62	62	28Official edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 1T the following new section:-
63	63	29 Section 1U. Elementary and Secondary Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy
64	64	30 (a) Each district may implement an Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Plan that will
65	65	31provide students with an understanding of the causes of, impacts from, and solutions to
66	66	32anthropogenic climate change. Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy shall include, but not be
67	67	33limited to, an understanding of climate change’s nexus to the fields of science, technology, 3 of 4
68	68	34engineering, arts, history, social sciences, civics, and government, with a focus on climate justice
69	69	35and equitable climate solutions.
70	70	36 (b) A school district, charter school, approved private day or residential school or
71	71	37collaborative school may incorporate the climate change standards established pursuant to
72	72	38section 1D and subsection (a) into existing curriculum including, but not limited to, science,
73	73	39history and social sciences, technology or business.
74	74	40 (c) The commissioner shall create and engage an Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy
75	75	41Advisory Council. The commissioner, in consultation with the Council, shall provide guidelines
76	76	42on the development and implementation of district-level Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy
77	77	43Plans.  The council shall include: youth leaders from a range of communities across the
78	78	44Commonwealth, including representatives of environmental justice neighborhoods;
79	79	45representatives of environmental justice organizations; teachers representing multiple disciplines;
80	80	46educator union representatives with expertise in climate change and climate justice; and experts
81	81	47in climate science and solutions.  The Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Council shall seek to
82	82	48ensure that each plan:
83	83	49 (1) was created with the involvement and input of youth leaders from the district;
84	84	50 (2) was developed in consultation with environmental, civics, and climate justice
85	85	51organizations or professionals; and
86	86	52 (3) provides equivalent instruction and opportunities for bilingual students and English
87	87	53language learners.  4 of 4
88	88	54 (d) The department may provide additional support and outreach including, but not
89	89	55limited to, statewide and regional training, meetings or conferences, additional staff to support
90	90	56students and teachers, and opportunities for districts and stakeholders to assess and share
91	91	57evidence-based best practices in support of climate change education, and to provide feedback
92	92	58and recommendations to the department.
93	93	59 (e) The department shall utilize funding from the Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Trust
94	94	60Fund and may apply for federal, state or other funding.