Amendment #488 to H3400

Educational Mandate Task Force

Ms. Peisch of Wellesley moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:

“SECTION XXXX. There shall be an educational mandate task force to review all existing state mandates imposed on public schools and districts in the Commonwealth. The task force shall consist of 11 members: the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on education, or their designees, who shall serve as the co-chairs of the task force; the secretary of education, or a designee with knowledge of federal and state education laws and regulations; the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, or a designee; a representative of the division of local mandates, appointed by the state auditor; the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials, or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Secondary School Principals, or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Elementary School Principals, or a designee; and the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Special Education Administrators, or a designee.

The task force shall: (i) identify and review all existing mandates imposed on school districts by state law or regulation, including school and district reporting requirements, that are not required by federal law; (ii) determine the costs of such mandates and reporting requirements to school districts; and (iii) identify opportunities to streamline, consolidate, or eliminate such mandates or reporting requirements that are duplicative or inconsistent with current laws, regulations or practices.

The task force shall file a report containing its findings and recommendations, including legislation necessary to carry out its recommendations, with the clerks of the house and senate not later than 6 months following the first meeting of the task force”.