Amendment #822 to H3400

Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment for students with disabilities

Representatives Sannicandro of Ashland, Ashe of Longmeadow, Ayers of Quincy, Balser of Newton, Beaton of Shrewsbury, Benson of Lunenburg, Brady of Brockton, Brodeur of Melrose, Campbell of Methuen, Cantwell of Marshfield, Chan of Quincy, Collins of Boston, Coppinger of Boston, Cusack of Braintree, Cutler of Duxbury, Decker of Cambridge, Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield, Forry of Boston, Fox of Boston, Galvin of Canton, Garlick of Needham, Gobi of Spencer, Gregoire of Marlborough, Hecht of Watertown, Humason of Westfield, Kafka of Stoughton, Khan of Newton, Kocot of Northampton, Malia of Boston, Mark of Peru, Murphy of Weymouth, Rogers of Cambridge, Schmid of Westport, Scibak of South Hadley, Sciortino of Medford, Smizik of Brookline, Smola of Palmer, Stanley of Waltham, Swan of Springfield, Toomey of Cambridge and Walsh of Framingham move to amend the bill in section 2, by striking out item 7009-9600 and inserting in place thereof:

7009-9600

For a discretionary grant program to provide funds to school districts and public institutions of higher education partnering together to provide a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment for students with disabilities, as defined in section 1 of chapter 71B of the General Laws, between the ages of 18 and 22, by offering inclusive concurrent enrollment programs; provided, that the grant program shall be limited to students who are considered to have severe disabilities and, in the case of students age 18 or 19, shall be limited to students with severe disabilities who have been unable to achieve the competency determination necessary to pass the Massachusetts comprehensive assessment system exam; provided further, that said students with disabilities shall be offered enrollment in credit and noncredit courses that include nondisabled students, including enrollment in noncredit courses and credit bearing courses in audit status for students who may not meet course prerequisites and requirements and that the partnering school districts shall provide supports, services and accommodations necessary to facilitate a student's enrollment; provided further, that the executive office of education, , in consultation with the department and the department of higher education, shall develop guidelines to ensure that the grant program promotes civic engagement and mentoring of faculty in public institutions of higher education and supports college success, work success, full participation in student life of the college community and provision of a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment; provided further, that the executive office of education, in consultation with the department and the department of higher education, shall develop strategies and procedures to help sustain and replicate the existing inclusive concurrent enrollment programs initiated through this grant program including, but not limited to: provision of funds to retain employment specialists and assist students in meeting integrated competitive employment and other transition-related goals and adoption of procedures and funding mechanisms to ensure that new partnerships of public institutions of higher education and school districts providing inclusive concurrent enrollment programs fully utilize the models and expertise developed in existing partnerships; provided further that the executive office of education, in consultation with the department and the department of higher education, shall develop a mechanism to encourage existing and new partnerships to expand the capacity to respond to individual parents and school districts in underserved areas that request an opportunity for their children to participate in the inclusive concurrent enrollment initiative; provided further that the executive office of education, in consultation with the department and the department of higher education shall encourage planning and development of a pilot program to include students in the residence life of the public institutions of higher education, with accommodations, supports, and services necessary to enable inclusive dormitory living; provided further, that tuition for courses shall be waived by the state public institutions of higher education for students enrolled through this grant program;; provided further that the Executive Office of Education shall create a position of Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment coordinator who will be responsible for administering the grant program, coordinating the Advisory Committee, developing new partnerships, assisting existing partnerships in creating self-sustaining models, and overseeing the development of videos and informational materials through the Institute for Community Inclusion to assist new colleges and school districts;  provided further, that the executive office of education, in consultation with the department and the department of higher education shall select grant recipients not later than July 15, 2013 and shall distribute a request for grant proposals subject to future appropriation not later than May 31, 2014; provided further, that that the executive office of education, in consultation with the department and the department of higher education shall convene a meeting of the advisory board not less than 6 times annually, provided further, that the executive office of education, in consultation with the department and the department of higher education to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on education and the joint committee on higher education on the discretionary grant program, including a report on student outcomes,  not later than January 28, 2014; and provided further, that for the purpose of this item, appropriated funds may be expended through August 31, 2014 ------------ $960,000