j ust the facts
M TA G O V E R N M E N T R E L A T I O N S
H319 – AN ACT PROMOTING COLLABORATION AT LEVEL 4/5 SCHOOLS
LEAD SPONSOR Rep. Michael Brady (D-Brockton)
CO-SPONSORS
REPRESENTATIVES
Antonio Cabral
James Cantwell
Gailanne Cariddi
Edward Coppinger
Claire Cronin
Josh Cutler
Marjorie Decker
Daniel Donahue
Ann-Margaret Ferrante
Colleen Garry
Mary Keefe
James Miceli
James O’Day
Denise Provost
Angelo Puppolo
David Rogers
Frank Smizik
Thomas Stanley
John Velis
Christopher Walsh
SENATORS
Sal DiDomenico
James Eldridge
Patricia Jehlen
Thomas Kennedy
Barbara L’Italien
Marc Pacheco
PURPOSE OF THIS BILL
Massachusetts is lauded as the national leader in overall student achievement, yet there are some schools that continue to
require additional help. The MTA supports a collaborative approach to help these schools improve.
Chapter 12 of the Acts of 2010 (An Act Relative to the Achievement Gap) sought to improve student achievement in public
schools designated as “underperforming” and “chronically underperforming” through the implementation of a “turnaround
plan,” which gives the superintendent or receiver the power, as needed, to alter or modify provisions of an existing collective
bargaining agreement in up to 4 percent of schools.
To date, 4 schools and 1 school district have been designated as “chronically underperforming”. The law has been used by
superintendents/receivers in all of these schools to abrogate agreements that have been collectively bargained in these schools.
WHAT THIS BILL DOES
Modifies the existing achievement gap law by implementing a collaborative labor/management approach for the formation of a
specific turnaround plan.
Maintains the employment rights within the district for professional status teachers who are transferred out of a turnaround
school.
Prohibits any requirement that a teacher reapplies for the job he or she currently holds within the school district.
Seeks to ensure that the Commissioner has met the statutorily-required family and community services provided to students and
their families so that each student arrives and remains at school ready to learn.
Kate Donaghey, Lobbyist | Catherine Fichtner, Lobbyist | Julie Johnson, Lobbyist | Sean King, Lobbyist
617.878.8119