Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S332 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1421 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 332
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jacob R. Oliveira
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying
12	12	resolve:
13	13	Resolve relative to the long-term fiscal health and sustainability of special education in the
14	14	Commonwealth.
15	15	_______________
16	16	PETITION OF:
17	17	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Jacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and WorcesterAdam Scanlon14th BristolLydia EdwardsThird Suffolk2/2/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk2/13/2023Rebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex3/3/2023Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex3/6/2023 1 of 3
18	18	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1421 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
19	19	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 332
20	20	By Mr. Oliveira, a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 332) of Jacob R. Oliveira,
21	21	Adam Scanlon, Lydia Edwards, Patrick M. O'Connor and other members of the General Court
22	22	that provisions be made for an investigation and study by a special commission (including
23	23	members of the General Court) relative to the long-term fiscal health and sustainability of special
24	24	education in the Commonwealth. Education.
25	25	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
26	26	_______________
27	27	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
28	28	(2023-2024)
29	29	_______________
30	30	Resolve relative to the long-term fiscal health and sustainability of special education in the
31	31	Commonwealth.
32	32	1 Resolved, there shall be a special commission to study Chapter 71B and make
33	33	2recommendations toward the long-term fiscal health and sustainability of Special Education
34	34	3throughout the Commonwealth, and make recommendations to consider all matters pertaining to
35	35	4the improvement of fiscal health and educational outcomes. The commission shall examine the
36	36	5impact and efficacy of special education programs in the Commonwealth.
37	37	6 The special commission shall consist of the house chair of the joint committee on
38	38	7education or designee, the senate chair of the joint committee on education or designee, the
39	39	8commissioner of education or designee, one member of the house of representatives to be
40	40	9appointed by the speaker, one member of the senate to be appointed by the senate president, and
41	41	10six members to be appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a representative of the
42	42	11Massachusetts administrators for special education, one of whom shall be a representative of the
43	43	12Massachusetts association of school committees, one of whom shall be a representative of the 2 of 3
44	44	13Massachusetts association of school superintendents, one of whom shall be a member of a local
45	45	14parents' advisory council, one of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts school
46	46	15psychologists association, one of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts
47	47	16elementary school principals association.
48	48	17 Said special commission shall:
49	49	18 (i) examine the universe of students eligible for said programs as well as educational
50	50	19programs and finances of school districts and municipalities;
51	51	20 (ii) perform a comparative analysis of the number of children receiving special education
52	52	21and the costs of these services in the Commonwealth;
53	53	22 (iii) examine current transportation services for children receiving special education and
54	54	23alternatives available to reduce costs, increase efficiency and improve the quality of said
55	55	24services;
56	56	25 (iv) examine ways to increase coordination among school districts for the provision of
57	57	26higher quality cost-effective services, including the regionalization of special education
58	58	27programs;
59	59	28 (v) examine the system of evaluating, placing, and monitoring students receiving special
60	60	29education, including out-of-district placements;
61	61	30 (vi) examine the system of appeals and monitoring of school district compliance with
62	62	31state and federal special education laws administered by the department of education;
63	63	32 (vii) examine the cost trends to local and regional school districts of providing special
64	64	33education services, the capacity of said districts to fund such services within the resources 3 of 3
65	65	34required or made available by chapter seventy of the General Laws and the effects of said
66	66	35services on the programmatic and fiscal planning and educational accomplishments of said
67	67	36districts; and
68	68	37 (viii) study issues surrounding the classroom discipline of children with special needs,
69	69	38including the impact, if any, of proposed or enacted federal laws relative to said issues, and
70	70	39identify modifications to laws and regulations of the commonwealth that would be necessary to
71	71	40comply with said proposed or enacted federal law changes.
72	72	41 Said special commission shall report to the house and senate committees on ways and
73	73	42means the results of its study, and recommendations for implementing findings, by filing the
74	74	43same with the clerks of the house of representatives and senate and the joint committee on
75	75	44education on or before January 1, 2024.