Amendment #12 to H3736

Special Commission on ELL Student Data

Ms. Peisch of Wellesley moves to amend the bill by striking out section 25 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

“SECTION 25. There shall be a special commission to investigate and study the current collection and dissemination of school district and statewide data relative to school-age English language learners.

The commission shall consist of 17 members: 2 of whom shall be the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on education, or their designees, who shall serve as the co-chairs; 1 of whom shall be a member of the senate, appointed by the senate president; 1 of whom shall be a member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 1 of whom shall be member of the senate, appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 1 of whom shall be a member of the house of representatives, appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; 1 of whom shall be the commissioner of the department of elementary and secondary education, or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc. or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the Massachusetts Elementary School Principals’ Association, Inc. or a designee;  1 of whom shall be the executive director of the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators’ Association, Incorporated, or a designee; 1 of whom shall the executive director of the Massachusetts Administrators of Special Education. Inc., or a designee; 1 of whom shall be representative of the Massachusetts Association of Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages, Inc.; and 4 of whom shall be appointed by the governor: 2 of whom shall be selected from a list of 3 superintendents from school districts serving high concentrations of English language learners nominated by the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc. and 2 of whom shall be selected from a list of 3 district-level English language learner directors nominated by the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Inc.

The commission shall: (i) study, review and report on all existing school and district reporting requirements relative to English language learners, including but not limited to annual reporting requirements relative to English language learners as required under section 1I of chapter 69; (ii) consider how current data is collected and used to evaluate English language learner programming and its effectiveness; (iii) review the waiver and parental notification process, and the effectiveness and transparency of district and state reporting relative to English language learners; and (iv) consider improvements to data collection and dissemination relative to English language learners.

The commission may meet with state agencies, parents, guardians, teachers, school administrators, and any person the chairs deem necessary for the purpose of filing its report.

The commission shall file a report containing its finding and any recommendations with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate not later than February 1, 2018.”