HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4408

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, February 20, 2024.

The committee on Education, to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 589) of Chynah Tyler relative to the establishment of a special commission (including members of the General Court) to reassess school integration within the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) Program, and the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 590) of Chynah Tyler, Vanna Howard and Michelle M. DuBois for legislation to establish a special commission (including members of the General Court) on school segregation, reports recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No. 4408) ought to pass.

For the committee,

DENISE C. GARLICK.

        FILED ON: 2/5/2024

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4408

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act to assess school integration within the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) program.

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

(a) There shall be a task force to reassess school integration within the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity program, hereinafter called the METCO program.

The task force shall consist of 13 members: 2 of whom shall be the chairs of the joint committee on education or their designees, who shall serve as co-chairs; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives or a designee; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the president of the senate or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the minority leader of the house of representatives or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the minority leader of the senate or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the secretary of education or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the president of the Black Educators Alliance of Massachusetts, Inc. or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People New England Area Conference or a designee; and 3 of whom shall be appointed by the governor and shall be former participants in the METCO program.

The task force shall evaluate the historical impact of the METCO program in the commonwealth and make recommendations to the general court regarding school integration and improvements to the program. 

(b) The task force shall convene beginning not later than 180 days after the effective date of this act and meet not fewer than 4 times. The task force shall submit its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, by filing the same with the clerks of the house of representatives and senate and the governor not later than 1 year after the effective date of this act