Amendment ID: S2924-20

Amendment 20

Flexibility for professional development requirements in rural and regional school districts

Ms. Comerford moves that the proposed new text be amended in section 1E ¾ of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as inserted by section 3, by adding the following subsection:-

"(c) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department shall ensure that professional development requirements established pursuant to this section are implemented in a manner that does not require significant regular interruption of instructional time.

For regional school districts and school districts serving rural municipalities, or schools with a single classroom per grade level, the department shall provide and permit alternative professional development delivery models, which may include, but shall not be limited to:

(i) asynchronous or self-paced training modules;

(ii) summer or school-year professional development conducted outside of regular instructional hours;

(iii) periodic or consolidated professional development sessions in lieu of weekly meetings; or

(iv) regional, collaborative or shared professional development opportunities across districts;

provided that the department shall consult with administrators and educators of regional school districts and districts serving rural municipalities in the creation of said alternative professional development delivery models.

No district shall be required, as a condition of compliance with this section, to incur substitute staffing costs or reduce student instructional time in order to meet professional development requirements unless such costs are fully reimbursed by the commonwealth."