Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. The thirty-fourth paragraph of section 1G of chapter 15 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 1986 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the third sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- In order to provide financial incentives for qualified teachers and to encourage the improved utilization of teaching resources by school committees, the board, beginning on July first, nineteen hundred and eighty-nine and subject to appropriation, shall award grants of up to two thousand five hundred dollars per teacher, for teachers who shall undertake such expanded responsibilities; provided, however, that the total dollar amount of grants to a school district in any fiscal year shall be no higher than two thousand dollars multiplied by ten per cent of the teachers within such district.

SECTION 2. Section 49 of said chapter 15, as amended by section 1 of chapter 143 of the acts of 1987, is hereby further amended by adding the following paragraph:-

Beginning on July first, nineteen hundred and eighty-nine, any school district eligible to receive new or additional equal educational opportunity grant funding as designated by Chapter seventy A shall direct such funds to the most-at-risk schools, if any, in said district.

SECTION 3. Said chapter 15 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 49 the following five sections:-

Section 49A. As used in sections forty-nine to forty-nine E, inclusive, the following words shall have the following meanings:-

"Most-at-risk schools", individual elementary, middle or junior high schools which ranked in the lowest quartile on the statewide basic skills tests.

"School plan", a comprehensive five year plan for improving student learning in a public school which includes an operating budget for developing and implementing said plan.

"Expanded school improvement council", the public school improvement council, established under section fifty-one with the addition of at least five, but no more than fifteen members, chosen by the school improvement council from representatives of municipal government, business and labor organizations, institutions of higher education, human service agencies, or other interested groups.

Section 49B. Subject to appropriation, and commencing on July first, nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, districts receiving equal education opportunity grants and containing one or more most-at-risk schools may receive equal education opportunity funds for the purpose of enabling said pupils to achieve competency in the basic skills. Each most-at-risk school in said districts shall file a school plan for approval by the board. If a district has received a grant under the provisions of sections forty-nine to forty-nine E, inclusive, it shall be eligible to receive additional grants for a maximum of four successive years; provided, however, that the board determines, through review of the annual report filed with it by each most-at-risk school, that the school has made reasonable progress in achieving the goals proposed in its approved school plan.

In addition, the board shall award grants, subject to appropriation and commencing July first, nineteen hundred and eighty-seven, to most-at-risk schools, to assist in expanding their school improvement councils, to help in developing school plans, and to plan and operate summer enrichment programs for students. In such summer programs, priority shall be given to students expected to attend the most-at-risk schools. Said grants may be used to employ professional staff to help with the summer program and in the planning process. Such professional staff shall, if possible, come from schools outside the district. Students from secondary schools attended by graduates of a most-at-risk school may be employed to assist in its summer enrichment programs.

Grant funds received under this section for planning purposes or summer programs shall be deposited with the treasurer of the city, town, regional school district or independent vocational school in a separate account to be expended by the expanded school improvement council based on the approved plan, without further appropriation for the purposes of the grant.

Section 49C. A school plan is to be developed and filed with the board by the expanded school improvement council, after review and comment by the parents, teachers, administrators and other professional staff of the individual school. Prior to its filing with the board, the plan shall be submitted to the superintendent of schools for his recommendations. To aid the superintendent of schools in making recommendations, he may consult with a citywide advisory committee comprised of interested and concerned members of the community. The superintendent shall submit the plan, complete with operating budget, to be approved by a majority vote of the school committee and of the local appropriating authority.

Each school plan shall identify factors within and without the individual school which most interfere with successful student learning, setting forth a comprehensive set of strategies to be implemented within the school and in the community, designed to combat the known obstacles to learning and to provide necessary support to the public school's students and their parents. In addition, each plan shall identify public and private agencies, resources, and personnel who will assist the school in implementation of the plan; the procedures for coordination of available resources and personnel, and a plan for coordination with other grants in aid available to the individual school and school district. Each school plan shall set forth annual goals which shall include, but not be limited to, measurable improvement in student academic achievement, reduction in student absenteeism and drop-out rates, and increased summer jobs and learning opportunities for students.

Each most-at-risk school whose school plan has been approved by the board, and for which a district is receiving funding under section forty-nine B, shall prepare and submit to the board an annual report on the programs established under its school plan, setting forth the school's progress in meeting the goals of said plan. The school plan shall be amended based upon the findings of the annual plan. No school district with most-at-risk schools shall be eligible for new or continued funding under the provisions of sections forty-nine to forty-nine E, inclusive, unless required annual reports and amended plans are approved by the board.

Section 49D. No district with one or more most-at-risk schools shall receive funding under sections forty-nine to forty-nine E, inclusive, if, (1) the share of local expenditures allocated to the support of the public schools has declined in any fiscal year commencing with July first, nineteen hundred and eighty-five, or (2) any most-at-risk school does not receive at least the average per pupil local budget support received by other schools of the same classification and grade level in the district, or (3) the absolute level of financial support for the public schools in the city, town, or regional school district has decreased since fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-six. In the case of a school district which fails to meet the aforementioned criteria, the board of education may also consider eligible schools in which the per pupil educational portion of local expenditures, adjusted for inflation and other factors affecting such portion, has not declined in any year since fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-six.

Section 49E. There is hereby established an advisory council consisting of the commissioner of education or his designee, who shall be the chairman, the secretary of economic affairs or his designee, the director of the division of employment security or his designee, and at least seven members appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a school committee member selected from among the membership of the local government advisory council, one of whom shall be a member representing business, one of whom shall be a member representing institutions of higher education, labor, and one of whom shall be a member representing elementary and secondary education and community-based organizations which may be involved in implementing collaborative educational programs. Said advisory council shall review and make recommendations to the board on school plans submitted to the board for approval, and on annual reports and proposed amendments to school plans. In addition, said council may provide technical assistance to most-at-risk schools whose school plans fail to be approved by the board. Said council may also conduct site visits at said schools and make recommendations to the board concerning funding or other matters.

SECTION 4. Said chapter 15 is hereby further amended by striking out section 51, as appearing in the 1986 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 51. The board shall allocate such funds as are appropriated to the School Improvement Fund, established under the provisions of section thirty-five F of chapter ten, to each school building containing any of the grades from kindergarten to six, inclusive, in the fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-six, and in every school building containing any of the grades from kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, in the fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-seven and each fiscal year thereafter, which has filed information set forth in section forty-nine in the following manner: an amount of money equal to the total number of full-time equivalent students in grades kindergarten to six, or kindergarten to twelve in attendance there during the preceding school year multiplied by fifteen dollars in the fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-six and each fiscal year thereafter.

Funds appropriated by the board shall be deposited with the town, city or regional treasurer in a separate account for expenditure by the councils pursuant to this section.

The proceeds of the fund shall be used, at the school building level, to establish innovative academic programs, expanded services to students, purchase of instructional equipment, alternative education programs, cultural education programs, community or parental involvement programs, business and education partnership programs, educational planning, staff training, or for any other purposes consistent with the intent of this section.

Such funds shall not be used for current operating costs, supplies, utilities, existing building and equipment maintenance, existing staff salaries and wages, or to supplant current school costs.

At each school the expenditure of said funds shall be determined exclusively by a school improvement council consisting of the school principal who shall serve as chairman; and for the first two thousand five hundred students or part thereof, three teachers, elected annually by the teachers of the building, three parents of children attending said school building chosen in elections held annually by the local parent-teacher organization under the direction of the principal of such school, or if none exists chosen by the school committee; one person, who is not a parent of a child attending said school building, appointed by the school committee; and, for school buildings containing any of the grades nine to twelve, inclusive, one male secondary student and one female secondary student attending said school building elected annually by the students of said grades. For schools with more than two thousand five hundred students there shall be one additional teacher, one additional parent, and, at school buildings containing any of the grades nine to twelve, one additional secondary student representative for each additional five hundred students selected in the manner above to serve on the council.

To the extent possible said councils shall be broadly representative of the racial and ethnic diversity of the school building and community.

All decisions of such school improvement council regarding the expenditure of funds under this section shall include an assessment of school needs, and a school improvement plan to address such needs, pursuant to the goals for education in the commonwealth adopted by the board, and shall be submitted to the school committee. Said expenditure decision may be vetoed by a majority recorded vote of said school committee. If no such vote is rendered by said committee within thirty days of receipt of said decision, it shall be deemed to be approved. Should the school committee veto a decision of the local school improvement council, said matter shall not be re-submitted for a period of at least one year from said veto. Decisions of such school improvement council under this section shall not be subject to chapter one hundred and fifty E; provided, however, that such expenditures or decisions of said councils shall not be in violation of local collective bargaining contracts in effect as of January first, nineteen hundred and eighty-eight; and provided, further, that decisions of such school improvement council regarding matters brought before it, including, but not limited to the expenditure of funds pursuant to this section, shall not interfere with any power, authority or statutory obligation lawfully vested in any school committee.

All members of such school improvement council shall be subject to the provisions of chapter two hundred and sixty-eight A and shall not be subject to the provisions of chapter two hundred and sixty-eight B. The operation of the councils shall be subject to the provisions of section eleven A 1/2 of chapter thirty A, sections thirty-five to forty-six A, inclusive, of chapter forty-four and section ten of chapter sixty-six.

Such council shall annually submit a complete and detailed report of expenditures of funds pursuant to this section and a copy of the assessment of school needs and school improvement plan required by this section, to the commissioner of education by the end of the school year.

The department shall prepare and distribute to each school committee, superintendent and school improvement council a report specifying the use of school improvement funds statewide.

Beginning in fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, and each year thereafter, the board shall provide technical assistance to such school improvement councils. Said assistance shall be administered by the department for the purposes of developing and enhancing the capacity of such councils to plan, establish, and implement strategies and programs to improve the quality of education at the school building level.

SECTION 5. The second paragraph of section 52 of said chapter 15, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the second sentence the following sentence:- Priority for such grants shall be given to individual districts containing one or more most-at-risk schools as defined by section forty-nine A which do not receive funding under chapter seventy A; provided, however, that the proposed program focuses on the most-at-risk schools.

SECTION 6. Said chapter 15 is hereby further amended by striking out section 55, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following two sections:-

Section 55. The board of education shall establish a program entitled Recognizing Educational Achievement, hereinafter referred to as REACH. The purpose of REACH shall be to recognize and reward public schools for noteworthy improvement and achievement in a variety of categories consistent with the goals for education established by the board of education. The board shall promulgate regulations for implementation of the program.

Subject to appropriation in fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-nine, and in each year thereafter, the board shall award cash grants to elementary schools, secondary schools or to school districts which demonstrate significant improvement in any area of educational achievement, including but not be limited to, the following:

(a) the increase in the percentage of students passing all three sections of the basic skills test;

(b) the maintenance of at least a ninety-five per cent passing rate on all three sections of the basic skills test for no less than two successive years;

(c) the number of students who previously failed any of the basic skills areas but who succeed in passing upon retesting in grades nine through twelve;

(d) the increase, over the previous year, in the percentage of eligible school age children residing in the district and attending the public schools;

(e) the decrease in the school's or the district's dropout rate;

(f) the promotion of physical and emotional well-being and a positive school environment that fosters self-esteem;

(g) the improvement of critical thinking and communication skills;

(h) the recognition of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society;

(i) the cultivation of shared values and mutual respect;

(j) the appreciation of the arts and the encouragement of creative expression;

(k) the understanding of history and the humanities;

(l) the comprehension of mathematics, the sciences, and the uses of technology;

(m) the mastery of foreign languages and interest in foreign cultures;

(n) the development of occupational and vocational skills; and

(o) the stimulation of desire for lifelong learning.

Eligibility for REACH awards shall be defined in regulations for implementation of the program. Said regulations shall include, but not be limited to, provisions to ensure that achievement in one of the foregoing clauses occurs while maintaining appropriate achievement in other such clauses, and provisions to sanction schools or school districts which falsify data or results on which REACH awards are based.

No school shall receive the financial portion of a REACH award in a school district in which (1) the educational portion of local expenditures has declined in any year since fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-six, or (2) where any school receiving a REACH award does not receive at least the average per pupil local budget support received by other schools of the same classification and grade level in the district, or (3) where the absolute level of financial support for the public schools in the city, town, or regional school district has decreased. No district shall receive the financial portion of a REACH award if the education portion of local expenditures has declined in any year since fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-six. In the case of a school district which fails to meet the aforementioned criteria, the board of education may also consider eligible those schools or districts in which the per pupil educational portion of local expenditures, adjusted for inflation and other factors, has not declined in any year since fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-six.

REACH awards shall be in the amounts of not less than twenty-five thousand dollars for an elementary school, fifty thousand dollars for a secondary school, and one hundred thousand dollars for a school district.

Distribution of school awards shall be by the school improvement council for efforts to improve the conditions of learning and teaching and to enhance the educational program, so long as such expenditures do not supplant regular school district expenditures, expenditures from state education programs, and current school operating costs, supplies, utilities, existing building and equipment maintenance, and existing staff salaries and wages. All decisions of the school improvement council regarding the expenditure of awards under this section shall be submitted to the school committee. Said expenditure decision may be vetoed by a majority recorded vote of said school committee. If no such vote is rendered by said committee within thirty days of receipt of said decision, it shall be deemed to be approved. Distribution of district awards shall be proposed by the superintendent and shall be approved by the school committee. REACH awards shall be deposited with the treasurer of the city, town, regional school district or independent vocational school in a separate account to be expended by the school improvement council for school awards or the superintendent for district awards without further appropriation.

Indicators of student outcomes, based on data submitted to the board, shall be the primary determinant for awards under this section. The board may appoint distinguished panels of experts to review candidates and to make recommendations to the board for REACH awards and recognition.

Section 55A. The governor shall appoint a five member council, known as the educational measurement audit council, hereinafter referred to as EMAC, to advise the board. EMAC shall be under the direction and control of the state board of education. EMAC shall operate independently of the management and supervision of the commissioner. Its membership shall consist of five experts in educational measurement, three of whom shall not be residents of the commonwealth. Members shall be appointed for terms of three years; provided, however, that of the first members appointed, one shall be appointed for one year, one for two years, and two for three years. One member shall be designated by the governor to serve as chairperson of EMAC. Members may be reappointed, shall be adequately compensated for their service and reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

EMAC shall meet quarterly on a date set by the chairperson and at such other times at the call of the chairperson; provided however, that the first meeting of the council shall be convened within thirty days after the members have been appointed.

The board may, subject to appropriation, employ such staff for the council including a director, professional assistants, clerical support and consultants as the chairperson deems necessary, and may determine their salaries and duties. The provisions of sections nine A and forty-five of chapter thirty, chapter thirty-one and chapter one hundred and fifty E shall not apply to employees of the council.

The estimate of the amount required to carry out the mandate of EMAC as required pursuant to section three of chapter twenty-nine shall be submitted by the chairperson with the advice and consent of EMAC and by approval of the state board of education.

EMAC shall act as an independent auditing body, advisory to the board, to verify that educational measurement and testing conducted by or for the department of education in implementing the REACH program in fact measure and test what it intends to measure and test.

EMAC shall transmit its findings and any resultant recommendations to the board and to the clerk of the house of representatives who shall forward the same to the joint committee on education as they are completed and shall compile these into annual reports due each year on the anniversary date of the first meeting of the council.

SECTION 7. Section 59 of said chapter 15, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

There is hereby established a trust fund to be known as the Lucretia Crocker Foundation Trust Fund to be administered by the board into which shall be credited funds received from any corporation, whether public or private, and from any government. Upon receipt, such funds shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the trust fund and may be expended by the board for the purposes of this section after consultation with the members of the Lucretia Crocker Foundation advisory board. The Lucretia Crocker Foundation advisory board shall consist of all former Lucretia Crocker fellows.

SECTION 8. Said chapter 15 is hereby further amended by adding after section 62, added by section 2 of chapter 143 of the acts of 1987, the following three sections:-

Section 63. There is hereby established a Carnegie school grant program for the purpose of encouraging the public schools of the commonwealth to plan and develop innovative organization and management systems at the school building level, aimed at empowering public school professionals and improving student learning. The Carnegie school grant program shall encourage and support the development of management systems that provide increased autonomy and discretion for school-based professionals and shall encourage innovative organizational strategies to enhance student learning.

Section 64. As used in sections sixty-three to sixty-five, inclusive, the following words shall have the following meanings:-

"Carnegie school", an individual public school, including a school operated by an educational collaborative established under section four E of chapter forty, which operates pursuant to a system of governance set out in an approved Carnegie school plan.

"Carnegie school plan", a comprehensive three-year strategy approved by the board of education which restructures the school building governance and educational environment, and empowers public school teachers and other professional staff by enabling them to participate in and design the public school governance and organization. Such plan may also include financial decisions on how Carnegie school grant funds are to be allocated at the school building level.

"Waiver", a written agreement between the school-based planning team and an involved organization allowing exemptions from regulations, local school policies, or contractual provisions which, in the opinion of a school-based planning team, are necessary to implement the provisions of the Carnegie school plan. Said waiver may be approved by the board only when the board is convinced that the intent of existing rights and protections accorded to students is maintained or enhanced, and where there is reasonable promise of improved student achievement.

Section 65. The board may award planning and implementation grants to individual public schools which apply for approval as Carnegie schools. In order to be eligible for approval as a Carnegie school an individual public school, subject to the approval of the school committees having jurisdiction over the public school, shall submit an application to the board, developed by a school-based planning team consisting of the building principal, at least five teachers elected by their peers and two other professionals employed at the school, two parents of children attending the school, chosen in elections held by the local parent-teacher organization under the direction of the principal of such school or, if none exists, chosen by the school committee; for school buildings containing any of the grades nine to twelve, inclusive, on secondary student attending said school building elected annually by the students of said grades, and one community representative.

Each application shall set forth the plan for the proposed Carnegie school, and shall include a detailed description of how the school governance will be restructured; how increased student learning will be achieved; the school's goals, including a description of the process to be followed in obtaining necessary approvals from the school committee and waivers from the appropriate organizations; and the objectives to be accomplished in each of the three years covered by the plan. The application may also included the following: a description of the proposed means for restructuring the school's governance, educational climate and environment, a description of the impact that the restructuring will have on the professional lives of teachers and other professional staff, the impact on student learning, a description of the current school organization, a statement of program objectives, and procedures for evaluation of the program. In addition, the application shall include the names of the individuals comprising a development team which shall be responsible for implementation of the approved Carnegie school plan. Said team may include, but shall not be limited to school building teachers, administrators and other professionals, parents of children attending the school, representatives of the community, and school committee members. Once the plan is developed, the staff of the school shall be given the opportunity to sign the plan to indicate their support.

An individual school whose Carnegie school plan has received initial approval by the board shall receive a one year planning grant for the purpose of assisting the school-based planning team in completing the planning necessary for full implementation of the Carnegie school plan.

At the end of the period covered by the planning grant, the school shall submit its Carnegie school implementation plan to the board for final approval. Subject to the attainment of stated goals, the board may annually award grants for not more than three successive years for implementation and administration of Carnegie school plans. In each such year award of the implementation grant shall be subject to a determination by the board that the goals and objectives set forth in the approved Carnegie school plan have been achieved. No Carnegie school plan may be submitted for final approval by the board for implementation unless it is approved by majority vote of the school committee having jurisdiction over the individual public school.

The department of education shall provide technical assistance to schools whose Carnegie school plans have received initial approval by the board.

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a school committee may approve the restructuring of school governance pursuant to a Carnegie school plan. Said approval shall be subject to obtaining the appropriate waivers.

Grants awarded under this section shall be deposited with the town, city, collaborative, or regional district treasurer in a separate account to be expended without further appropriation by the Carnegie school development team pursuant to this section for the purposes authorized by the Carnegie school planning or implementation grants.

This account may also be credited with funds received from any corporation, whether public or private; private individual; or from any government.

No public school shall receive funds through the Carnegie school grant program if, (1) said school is within a city, town, or regional school district in which the share of local expenditures allocated to the support of the public schools has declined since fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-six, or (2) any schools receiving Carnegie school grants have received average per pupil support less than that received on average by other schools of the same classification and grade level in the district, or (3) the absolute level of financial support for the public schools in the city, town, or regional school district has decreased. In the case of a school district which fails to meet the aforementioned criteria, the board of education may also consider eligible those schools in which the per pupil educational portion of local expenditures, adjusted for inflation and other externalities, has not decreased in any year since fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-six.

SECTION 9. Chapter 15A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following two sections:-

Section 20. There is hereby established a professional development schools grant program. The board shall award grants to exemplary public schools and to cooperating public or private institutions of higher education in the commonwealth to establish collaborative programs for the purpose of fostering improved teacher training and professional development. In order to be eligible for a professional development school grant a school in cooperation with one or more public or private institutions of higher education shall jointly submit a program application which shall include, but not be limited to, a statement of program objectives covering a three year period, a program plan with specific timelines for implementation, and a plan for program evaluation. The program designated in the application must be approved by the faculty of the institution of higher education, the teachers, administrators and other professional staff of the public school, the superintendent of schools and by majority vote of the school committee and school improvement council. The board shall give priority to those programs in which the teacher training and professional development activities will take place in the public school.

Grants awarded under this section, to the extent that said funds are allocated to the public school, shall be deposited with the town, city, or regional district treasurer in a separate account to be expended, without further appropriation, by the school committee for the purposes of the professional development schools grant.

The board may contract with any public institution of higher education or nonprofit corporation, which has the requisite knowledge and experience in teacher training for the purpose of administering the professional development schools grant program.

Section 21. No public school shall receive funds through the professional development schools grant program if, (1) said school is within a city, town, or regional school district in which the share of local expenditures allocated to the support of the public schools has declined in any fiscal year commencing on July first, nineteen hundred and eighty-five, or (2) any schools receiving professional development school grants have received average per pupil support less than that received on average by all other schools of the same classification and grade level in the district, or (3) the absolute level of financial support for the public schools in the city, town, or regional school district has decreased in any year since fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-six. In the case of a school district which fails to meet the aforementioned criteria, the board of education shall consider as eligible those schools in which the per pupil educational portion of local expenditures, adjusted for inflation and other factors, has not declined in any year since fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-six.

SECTION 10. Section 40 of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 1986 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the first and second sentences and inserting in place thereof the following two sentences:- The compensation of each teacher, except a person in training and except a person employed as a temporary substitute, upon a majority vote of the respective school committee and the appropriating authority or, in the case of a regional school district, upon acceptance as provided hereafter, shall be at a rate of not less than eighteen thousand dollars or at a rate not less than twenty thousand dollars, as designated by said vote, for the school year commencing after July first, nineteen hundred and eighty-seven. In the case of a regional school district, acceptance shall require the approval of the regional school district committee and two-thirds of the appropriating authorities of the municipalities in such regional school district.

SECTION 11. Said section 40 of said chapter 71, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following paragraph:-

Any city, town, regional school district, educational collaborative or independent vocational school district which currently employs teachers at salaries below eighteen thousand dollars or below twenty thousand dollars and which accepts the minimum salary provisions of this section for school years commencing after July first, nineteen hundred and eighty-seven shall receive a minimum teacher salary grant from the commonwealth in fiscal years nineteen hundred and eighty-eight and nineteen hundred and eighty-nine equal to the cost incurred by such city, town, collaborative or regional school district during said fiscal years as a result of increasing the minimum teacher salary to eighteen thousand dollars or to twenty thousand dollars, as designated by the vote of the school committee and the appropriating authority thereof, for each teacher whose salary was below that level prior to July first, nineteen hundred and eighty-seven.

SECTION 12. The board of education shall develop standards for all discretionary grant programs established by this act against which all activities funded through such grant programs may be judged for efficiency and effectiveness. The board, after completing evaluations of all programs funded through this act, shall annually submit the results of said evaluations to the clerk of the house of representatives who shall forward the same to the joint committee on education and the house and senate committee on ways and means.

SECTION 13. To provide for the costs of new and existing programs enhancing the teaching profession and recognizing educational achievement and supplementing certain items in the general appropriation act the sum set forth in section fourteen for the several purposes and subject to the provisions of law regulating the disbursement of public funds and the conditions pertaining to appropriations in chapter one hundred and ninety-nine of the acts of nineteen hundred and eighty-seven, for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and eighty-eight or any such period as may be specified, the sums so appropriated to be in addition to any amounts available for the purpose.

SECTION 14. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of education is hereby authorized to transfer from funds allocated to it from item 7061-4050 of section two of chapter three hundred and three of the acts of nineteen hundred and eighty-seven an amount not to exceed fifteen million dollars for the following items:-

`tm;keep=no `tcol=6,B4;c1=1,9,tu,T;c2=1,78,tuc;c3=1,78,tuc;c4=12,53,tfh1;c5=15,49,tu;c6=66,13,tur `tc1 7010-0005 `tc4 For the development and administration of a program recognizing educational achievement, pursuant to section fifty-five of chapter fifteen of the General Laws, and for planning, research and assessment, information dissemination and technical assistance to schools and school districts with respect to the granting of awards for educational achievement under said section fifty-five, including not more than ten positions, in addition to amounts already appropriated `tc6 $750,000 `tc1 7030-1600 `tc4 For grants to cities, towns and regional school districts to establish a Carnegie school program for the purpose of encouraging the public schools of the Commonwealth to plan and develop innovative organization and management systems at the school building level. Any payment made under this program shall be deposited with the treasurer of such city, town, regional school district, educational collaborative or independent vocational school and be held in a separate account to be expended by the school committee of such city, town, regional school district or independent vocational school without further appropriation, provided that no more than three hundred thousand dollars shall be allocated for the purpose of technical assistance pursuant to section sixty-four of chapter fifteen of the General Laws, notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary `tc6 $1,800,000 `tc1 7030-2000 `tc4 For grants to cities, towns, regional school districts and educational collaboratives for basic skills remediation programs in which priority is given to students in most-at-risk schools pursuant to section forty-nine A of chapter fifteen of the General Laws in grades one to nine, inclusive, and dropout prevention programs for students in grades seven to twelve, inclusive, pursuant to the provisions of section fifty-two of chapter fifteen of the General Laws in addition to amounts already appropriated `tc6 $1,300,000 `tc1 7030-4050 `tc4 For the establishment of the Lucretia Crocker Foundation Trust fund for the purpose of allowing former or present Lucretia Crocker fellows to provide technical assistance to public schools and participate in professional development activities, pursuant to section fifty-nine of chapter fifteen of the General Laws, and provided that no less than twenty-five thousand dollars be allocated for a publication disseminating information to teachers in the commonwealth `tc6 $125,000 `tc1 7030-4060 `tc4 For the establishment of a grant program to foster improved teacher training and professional development in public schools in cooperation with one or more public or private institutions of higher education; provided however, that any payments made under this appropriation shall be deposited with the treasurer of the appropriate city, town, regional school district, educational collaborative or independent vocational school district and held as a separate account and shall be expended by the school committee of such city, town or regional school district without appropriation, notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary `tc6 $485,000 `tc1 7030-5050 `tc4 For the administration and expenses of an educational measurement auditing council to advise the board in implementing the REACH program, pursuant to section fifty-five A of chapter fifteen of the General Laws, including not more than two positions `tc6 $100,000 `tc1 7061-1050 `tc4 For grants to cities, towns, educational collaboratives, regional school districts and independent vocational schools for the purpose of developing plans for most-at-risk schools and summer programs at most-at-risk schools pursuant to section forty-nine A of chapter fifteen of the General Laws, provided, however, that any such payment shall be deposited with the treasurer of such city, town, regional school district, educational collaborative or independent vocational school and held as a separate account and shall be expended by the school committee of such city, town, regional school district or independent vocational school without appropriation, notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary `tc6 $2,000,000 `tc1 7061-3000 `tc4 For minimum salary grants to cities, towns, regional school districts, educational collaboratives and independent vocational schools, to increase to eighteen or twenty thousand dollars the salary of each teacher whose salary was below that level prior to July first, nineteen hundred and eighty-seven, pursuant to section forty of chapter seventy-one of the General Laws; provided, however, that the school committee or appropriating body has, upon majority vote, accepted the provisions of said section forty of said chapter seventy-one, except that in a regional school district, acceptance requires approval of two-thirds of the appropriating authorities of the municipalities in such regional school district; and, provided further, than any such salary grant shall be deposited with the treasurer of such city, town, regional school district educational collaborative or independent vocational school and held as a separate account and shall be expended by the school committee of such city, town, regional school district, educational collaborative or independent vocational school without appropriation, notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary `tc6 $4,000,000 `tc1 7061-4000 `tc4 For the school improvement fund to award grants to cities, towns, regional school districts, independent vocational schools and educational collaboratives for distribution to every school building containing any of the grades from kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, pursuant to section fifty-one of chapter fifteen of the General Laws; provided, however, that the amount granted to each such school is equal to the total number of full-time equivalent students in grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, in attendance there during fiscal year nineteen hundred and eighty-seven multiplied by five dollars; provided, further, that such funds are used for purposes consistent with the intent of said section fifty-one; provided, further that any funds distributed under this item shall be deposited with the treasurer of such city, town, regional school district, educational collaborative or independent vocational school and held as a separate account and shall be expended by the school committee of such city, town, regional school district, educational collaborative or independent vocational school without appropriation, notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary; and, provided further, that two hundred and fifty thousand dollars of the amount appropriated herein shall be allocated for the purpose of technical assistance to school improvement councils including but not limited to publication of newsletters, books, pamphlets and other pertinent materials and their distribution to all council members; training of council members through conferences, workshops and media; and research, in addition to amounts already appropriated `tc6 $4,440,000 `tcol;end

SECTION 15. This act shall take effect upon its passage. `t+7 `tuc ENDORSEMENTS FOLLOW ON PAGE 21 `t+99