Amendment #954 to H4000

Access to Special Education for Older Students

Representatives Lipper-Garabedian of Melrose, Peisch of Wellesley, Doherty of Taunton, Domb of Amherst, Gouveia of Acton, LaNatra of Kingston, Muratore of Plymouth, Nguyen of Andover and Sabadosa of Northampton move to amend the bill in section 2, in item 7061-0012, in line 72, by inserting after the word “contrary” the following:-

“provided further, that notwithstanding section 12A of chapter 71B, section 12C of chapter 71B, or any other general or special law to the contrary, a student who was receiving special education services pursuant to chapter 71B on March 10, 2020, and who has attained or does attain the age of 22 during the state of emergency declared due to COVID-19 shall be eligible to receive continuing or compensatory special education services during the academic year ending in 2022; provided further, in providing continuing or compensatory special education services to students who have attained or do attain the age of 22 during the state of emergency, districts shall, to the greatest extent feasible, utilize federal funding, including but not limited to Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding, and work in coordination with the department of developmental services and the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission to support transition programming; provided further, that not less than $15,000,000 shall be expended to assist school districts in providing continuing or compensatory special education services for students who have attained or do attain the age of 22 during the COVID-19 state of emergency”; and in said item by striking out the figures “367,654,803” and inserting in place thereof the figures “382,654,803”.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #954 to H4000

Access to Special Education for Older Students