HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2554        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 542

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Harold P. Naughton, Jr.

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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 resolve:

Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to low-income students and special education.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2554        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 542

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2052 OF 2017-2018.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to low-income students and special education.

Resolved, That a special commission is hereby established for the purpose of conducting an investigation and study of special education with regards to low-income students in the commonwealth. The commission shall study and recommend strategies that address the potential problem and consequences from over-identifying low-income students as students with disabilities. The commission shall study the impact that federal and state academic progress mandates have on districts as they identify students for special education.

The commission shall also identify any municipality paying 2 per cent or greater the average of special education costs of each abutting municipality.  The municipalities identified by the commission shall then be reimbursed by the commonwealth for the difference in additional special education costs.

The commission shall consist of the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on education, who shall serve as co-chairs of the commission; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on children, families, and persons with disabilities; 1 member to be appointed by the senate president; 1 member to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 1 member to be appointed by the senate minority leader; 1 member to be appointed by the house minority leader; the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or the commissioner’s designee; and 8 persons to be appointed by the governor. All appointments shall be made not later than 30 days after the effective date of this resolve.  The chairpersons shall meet with the commission not later than 60 days after the effective date of this resolve.

The commission shall report to the general court the result of its investigation and study and its recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect by filing the same with the clerk of the house of representatives not later than 120 days after the first meeting of the commission.