Amendment #254 to H3400

Minimum Student Population for School Districts

Mr. Diehl of Whitman moves to amend the bill by inserting the following section:-

SECTION XX. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a commission to study the feasibility of requiring school districts to consist of a minimum of between 2500 and 3000 students. The commission shall consist of the following members: the executive director of Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, or a designee, who shall serve as chair of the commission; the state Secretary of Education, or a designee; the senate chair of the joint committee on education; the house chair of the joint committee on education; a member to be appointed by the house minority leader; a member to be appointed by the senate minority leader; a representative from the Massachusetts Teachers Association; a representative from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees; a representative from the Massachusetts Municipal Association; a representative from the Massachusetts Superintendants Association; and two members to be appointed by the Governor. The commission’s study shall include, but may not be limited to, the feasibility of establishing a minimum population of students that may be contained within a school district thereby encouraging regionalization of districts.

The commission shall submit its findings and recommendations, together with drafts of legislation or regulations necessary to carry those recommendations into effect by filing the same with the governor, the clerks of the House of Representatives and senate, and the joint committee on financial services, on or before December 31, 2014.