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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2973 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 600
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Andres X. Vargas and Manny Cruz
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act fulfilling the promise of education reform.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Andres X. Vargas3rd Essex1/19/2023Manny Cruz7th Essex1/19/2023Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk1/26/2023James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol1/30/2023 1 of 5
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2973 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 600
By Representatives Vargas of Haverhill and Cruz of Salem, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 600) of Andres X. Vargas, Manny Cruz and others for legislation to establish a
special commission (including members of the General Court) to be known as the promise
commission to conduct an ongoing study of all matters concerning education in the 21st century.
Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act fulfilling the promise of education reform.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 1 (a). Whereas, seventeen years after adopting the Education Reform Act of
21993, the legislature acknowledged the need to reflect on the past, revisit the promise, and update
3the law to more accurately align with research and trends of a new era. The 2010 Achievement
4Gap Act embraced choice opportunities for families in low performing districts, expanded
5flexibilities for school leaders and integrated the turnaround expertise of educational
6management organizations; and
7
8 Whereas today, nearly thirty years after the original Act was signed, it is critical that
9leaders reconvene to review the current status and future needs of public education in the
10Commonwealth. The question ‘where do we want public education to be in five and ten years
11from today?’ must guide the work of these leaders and the answers require a comprehensive 2 of 5
12examination of issues that were hardly at the forefront of the 1993 agenda. A prescient 2014
13DESE report titled “Building on 20 Years of Massachusetts Education Reform” framed the
14obligation well: “As we begin our third decade under standards-based education, the
15Commonwealth is engaged in the next generation of challenges, no less daunting than the first”;
16and
17
18 Whereas, the Pandemic gave rise to ‘the Great Resignation’ in all sectors of the
19workforce. The teaching profession has not been immune. While it is difficult to track real-time
20turnover numbers, it is evident that a confluence of low morale, insufficient pay, longer hours, a
21lack of respect and more robust opportunities elsewhere has created a perfect storm in the
22profession. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “44 percent of public
23schools reported teaching vacancies at the start of the 2022-2023 school year, with more than
24half due to resignations”; and
25
26 Whereas the work ahead must be laser focused on the workforce pipeline, and
27specifically, recruitment, retainment and support. In 2023, inclusion, diversity and equity are
28terms that apply equally as much to the student population as they do to those who teach
29students. Attracting underrepresented populations, including but not limited to those with
30disabilities, people of color and first-generation learners; and
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32 Whereas growing the educator pipeline and retaining teachers requires classroom
33supports for them. Providing a pathway for professional development, expanding leadership
34preparation programs, supporting differentiated learning options and offering wraparound
35services to ensure teachers have healthy outlets to manage anxiety and stress are the building
36blocks of a happy and successful workforce; and
37
38 Whereas providing expanded resources to rapidly grow educator preparation programs is
39imperative to meet the dwindling numbers of teachers in the field. Developing and supporting
40school leaders coupled with efforts to expand and strengthen supports for classroom teachers
41including programs for mid-career professionals and opportunities for teacher coaches; and
42 Whereas an expanded definition of student wraparound services requires a significant
43investment of funding and a universal recognition that they are a vital resource to bolster the
44resiliency of students, families and caretakers; and
45
46 Whereas standards-based education in the 21st Century has evolved over the last three
47decades and today requires empathy, cultural competence, implicit bias awareness and a
48commitment to ensuring that all school communities embrace and strengthen each students’
49sense of identity.
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51 Therefore, in order to fulfill the promise of education reform, a special commission,
52hereafter referred to as The Promise Commission, to revisit the promise, review the past and
53redefine the direction is required.
54
55 (b) The Promise Commission shall consist of eleven (11) members appointed as follows:
56The speaker of the house or designee, the president of the senate or designee, the commissioner
57of education, the commissioner of early childhood, the commissioner of higher education, a
58member appointed by the Massachusetts association of school superintendents, a member
59appointed by the Massachusetts association of school committees, a member appointed by the
60Massachusetts affiliate of the American federation of teachers, a member appointed by the
61Massachusetts teachers association, a member appointed by the Massachusetts education equity
62partnership, and a Massachusetts based member appointed by Latinos for education.
63
64 The Promise Commission shall conduct an ongoing study of all matters concerning
65education in the 21stCentury, including a strong emphasis on those outlined in Section (a); and
66further, shall be guided by five key elements of empathy: (1) understanding others, (2)
67developing others, (3) having a service orientation, (4) leveraging diversity and (5) political
68awareness.
69
70 The Promise Commission shall have two chairs elected by the members. The chairs may
71create issue oriented working groups as they deem necessary. 5 of 5
72
73 The Promise Commission shall meet not less than once per month and shall serve without
74compensation.
75
76 The Promise Commission shall develop a comprehensive report containing specific
77legislative policy and regulatory recommendations; and further, shall submit its report and
78recommendations to the legislature and governor on or before March 31, 2024.