Amendment ID: S2203-15

Amendment 15

Regional support for students with dyslexia

Mr. Keenan and Ms. L'Italien move to amend the bill by inserting the following new section:-

SECTION _. There shall be a special commission to study the feasibility and suitability of allowing cities and towns to establish regional school districts or regional programming to support students with dyslexia. The commission shall consider whether a regional district model, which may include summer or other part time programming that supplements district public schools, agreements pursuant to section 4 of chapter 71B intended to provide for the needs of students with dyslexia, or regional schools that provide full academic years of education to students with dyslexia, can benefit and support the needs of said students. The commission shall also consider different methods of funding and operating such regional schools or programming to maximize the benefit to said students and to their sending school districts.

The special commission shall consist of: the secretary of education, or a designee; a representative of the Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools; a representative of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc.; a representative of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Inc.; an individual appointed by the governor with experience advocating for students with dyslexia; and any additional members appointed the governor.

The commission shall submit a report of its recommendations, including any legislation necessary to implement said recommendations, to the clerks of the House and the Senate, and to the House and Senate chairs of the joint committee on education, not later than June 1, 2017.