SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1600        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 305

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Jason M. Lewis, (BY REQUEST)

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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 to incentivize efficiencies in the education system of the Commonwealth through the economies of scale.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1600        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 305

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act to incentivize efficiencies in the education system of the Commonwealth through the economies of scale.

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. Section 64 of Chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following new paragraphs:

Any existing public school district, regional school district, or Commonwealth Charter School which seeks to consolidate the following positions with other such school districts or schools in the form of a Superintendency Union will be provided a one-time incentive payment of $50,000 which may be applied toward restructuring costs of such consolidation or to other benefit as the local School Committee may decide.  Such payments will be provided subject to appropriation for the fiscal year.

Such qualifying Superintendency Unions will consolidate, at a minimum, the functions of the positions including staffs, of Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, Business Managers, Curriculum Directors, Special Education Directors, Human Resource Managers, Academic Department  Chairs, Guidance Chairs, Athletic Directors, English Language Learning Directors, and Information Technology Directors. 

Upon initial consolidation, and in application for receipt of the incentive payments for the member districts, each Superintendency Union shall submit to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for approval, a consolidation transition plan which will provide for the elimination of all redundant positions before three years shall have elapsed from the time of the formation of the Superintendency Union. 

An appropriation of $100,000 will be made to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and an appropriation of $100,000 will be made to the Department of Revenue for the purpose of providing technical assistance for the formation of such Superintendency Unions.