BOSTON – Last week, the Massachusetts Legislature passed bipartisan legislation, sponsored by Senator Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett), that updates the existing statute relative to English language education in the Commonwealth’s public schools. An Act relative to language opportunity for our kids, also known as the LOOK bill, promotes research-based best practices for programs serving English learners (EL).

Since the year 2000, the number of EL students in Massachusetts has doubled to more than 90,204 students, or 9.5 percent of the student population. While statewide graduation rates for students have risen over the past ten years, the achievement gap between EL students and their peers persists.

“While the current English language instruction model has proven to be beneficial for some of our Commonwealth’s English learners, countless other EL students have found themselves falling behind in this restrictive academic environment,” said Senator DiDomenico, the Senate sponsor of the bill. “This legislation changes that by rethinking the way we approach educating our English learners and giving our schools greater flexibility to select the programs that fit the diverse and unique needs of their students. I am confident this bill takes crucial strides towards guaranteeing that every student receives a fair opportunity at educational success, and I would like to thank my fellow conference committee members and the many advocates who helped to bring this legislation to fruition.” 

“Allowing parents and local school districts the flexibility to choose the most effective programs to cater to the specific needs of their students is not only good public policy but also what is best for our students to be successful,” said Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst).  “We live in a global community and we must be able to adapt to the changing needs of our communities in a thoughtful and constructive way.  This bill achieves that goal.”

“Every student has unique needs, and it is our obligation to foster an environment where they are afforded an education tailored to them,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “Massachusetts’ education system is the best in the nation, and I believe that this legislation will enhance our standing while ensuring that education is indeed, the great equalizer.”

“The accord reached today by the conference committee is a huge step forward for English language instruction in our Commonwealth,” said Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz (D-Boston), co-chair of the LOOK bill conference committee and Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “It will empower parents and educators to make the most effective educational decisions, based on each student's individual needs. And it includes safeguards to ensure English learners don’t fall between the cracks or languish in ineffective programs. Thank you to Rep. Sánchez and Sen. DiDomenico for introducing this critical legislation, and to all the advocates who’ve pushed for it for so many years. Thanks also go to my conference committee co-chair, Rep. Peisch, and all the members of our conference committee for their dedication to fixing our state's failed one-size-fits-all model with an effective, bi-partisan solution.” 

“I would like to thank the primary sponsors of the legislation, Chairman Sánchez and Senator DiDomenico, for insisting that we address the needs of the growing English language learner population in the Commonwealth and my fellow conferees for their hard work on reconciling the two versions of the legislation,” said Representative Alice Peisch (D- Wellesley), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Education.  “The legislation permits districts to choose English Learner programs that best fit the needs of their students, while ensuring those programs will be of the highest quality.  This combination of flexibility and high-standards will allow all students to achieve a level of English proficiency so that they can access the academic success for which Massachusetts students are known. 

“The Commonwealth has a responsibility to each and every one of its students to give them the resources to succeed,” said Senator Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth), a member of the conference committee who also sits on the Joint Committee on Education. “This bill gives English Learners more opportunities to simultaneously become proficient in their studies as well as in the English language. These opportunities are reinforced by affording local school districts the flexibility to implement programs that they believe work best for in their community, by giving parents a choice in what course they believe is best for their child, and by giving the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education the tools they need to efficiently implement and monitor English Language curriculum. I am confident that we will now be able to effectively serve our entire student population for the future success of the Commonwealth.”

This bill expands on the current mandate requiring schools to use Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) by giving schools the flexibility to establish programs based on the diverse needs of their students. Under this legislation, school districts can maintain current SEI programming or choose to implement an alternative instructional program that meets federal and state standards.

This bill supports parental choice and involvement by expanding the role of Parental Advisory Councils and allowing parents the flexibility to choose programs that best meet their child’s needs.

To better identify and assist English learners, this legislation requires greater tracking of academic performance and enhanced review of programs.  Furthermore, this legislation directs the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop additional guidelines and supports for school districts.

Recognizing bilingualism and biliteracy as valuable strengths for students in a 21st century world, this legislation establishes a state Seal of Biliteracy. The seal will be awarded by participating school districts to students who have attained a high level of proficiency in English, and one or more foreign languages. 

This bill will now move to the Governor for his signature. 

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BOSTON- Senator Sal DiDomenico recently received the 2017 Legislator of the Year Award from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) for his work on behalf of Massachusetts public schools and the students of the Commonwealth. Senator DiDomenico was nominated for this recognition by the Everett School Committee and accepted his award at the MASC Annual Joint Conference in Hyannis. 

“I would like to sincerely thank the Massachusetts Association of School Committees for naming me their 2017 Legislator of the Year,” said Senator Sal DiDomenico. “I would also like to especially thank MASC Executive Director Glenn Koocher and my friends on the Everett School Committee for nominating me for this award. It is an honor to be recognized by a group of people who have devoted their lives to giving all of Massachusetts’ students the tools they need to succeed in school and beyond, and I am proud to support their work in the State Senate.”

MASC selected Senator DiDomenico as their 2017 Legislator of the Year for his “tireless advocacy and service on behalf of children and families in Massachusetts and for ensuring the strength and survival of local municipal government in the great tradition of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”

Since his election to the Senate, Senator DiDomenico has been a vocal advocate for children and families and an ardent champion of Massachusetts public schools. Throughout his tenure, the Senator has filed several major pieces of legislation that have been signed into law focusing on issues of education, children's health, and human services, among others.

In 2015, Senator DiDomenico was selected as one of only 22 legislators throughout the United States to serve as an Early Learning Fellow by the National Conference of State Legislators. He has also been appointed by Senate President Stan Rosenberg to be the Chair of Senate’s Kids First Initiative, an ongoing effort to identify best practices and innovative ideas for investing in and supporting children across the Commonwealth. Most recently, in his role as Vice Chairman of Senate Ways & Means, Senator DiDomenico has worked tirelessly to secure additional funding for schools that have been negatively impacted by a change in the way the state counts low-income students and is continuing to work to broker a long-term solution.

Senator DiDomenico currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means and Chairman of Intergovernmental Affairs.  He also holds a position in Senate President Stan Rosenberg’s leadership team, joining a select group of members chosen for their ability to lead and their commitment to advancing important issues for the Commonwealth.

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BOSTON—Senator Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett) and his colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate recently passed S.2196, a bill to establish a comprehensive adaptation management action plan in response to climate change. This is the fifth time such a plan has been passed by the Senate: first in July 2014; then July 2015; followed by January 2016; and as part of the Energy Diversity bill in June 2016.

“As a Commonwealth and a nation, we can no longer wait to properly address and plan for the harmful realities of climate change,” said Senator DiDomenico, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways & Means. “This critical piece of legislation will put Massachusetts at the forefront of innovation when it comes to addressing climate change by creating a long-term, preemptive strategy that will help to protect our environment, as well as invest in our local economy and infrastructure. I am proud to have voted in favor of this bipartisan bill, and I look forward to advocating for its passage as it moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.”

A comprehensive adaptation management action plan (CAMP) would be established through a collaboration led by the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Secretary of Public Safety and Security. The plan would codify for the Baker Administration and all future administrations the goals, priorities and principles for resiliency, preservation, protection, restoration and enhancement of the Commonwealth’s built and natural infrastructure, based on data around existing and projected climate change impacts including temperature changes, drought, inland flooding and sea level rise. The plan would go into effect in 2018 with an update every five years.

“If gone unchecked, severe weather will wreak immense havoc on Massachusetts,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Marc R. Pacheco (D-Taunton), founding chair of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change and original sponsor of the bill. “An adaptation plan must be codified in statute to protect our economy, public health and built and natural infrastructures. We can make our communities more resilient to the harmful effects of climate change by using our unique system of federalism to forge our own paths and organize for survival. This is the fifth time the Senate has sent resiliency legislation to the House, and it is high time that these protections make their way to the Governor’s desk.”

“The recent historically damaging and powerful hurricanes have put climate change at the forefront of international issues,” said Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst). “We believe it is essential for us to act right now, at least on the key issues of adapting to the potential change, being ready for them and reducing emissions. Senator Pacheco’s bill once again puts Massachusetts in a leadership role on a critical issue. If we don’t plan and adapt for climate change now, we will pay dearly down the road, both in terms of potential harm to our residents and in dollars we will have to spend. This bill creates a proactive, long-term strategy to deal with the realities of our changing climate.”

“Merely reacting to climate change is not cost-effective, and it can have many advance consequences,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). “Having a dynamic and responsive plan can maximize the potential for success in addressing the impacts we must face on this front.”

Through the legislation, a comprehensive adaptation management action plan advisory commission would be established through the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. The committee would be charged with producing a report that documents the preparedness and vulnerabilities in the Commonwealth’s emergency response, energy, transportation, communications, health and other systems. The group would also put forth a proposal that establishes and commits to sound management practices while compiling data on existing and projected sea-level rise using the best available science.

The legislation also establishes a regional, comprehensive climate change adaptation management plan grant program to aid in the development of regional adaptation plans. The program consists of financial assistance to municipalities for the development and implementation of comprehensive cost-effective adaptation management plans; technical planning guidance for adaptive municipalities through climate vulnerability assessments and adaptation strategy development; and development of a definition of impacts by supporting municipalities conducting climate vulnerability assessments. The grants shall be used to advance efforts to adapt land use, zoning, infrastructure, policies and programs to reduce the vulnerability of the built and natural environment to changing environmental conditions that are a result of climate change. The secretary of energy and environmental affairs shall also develop and implement an outreach and education program about climate change and its effects in low-income and urban areas.

The bill also creates a coastal buy-back program authorizing the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to acquire, by voluntary purchase, property abutting areas subject to tides or barrier beaches or located in velocity zones of flood plain areas that contain structures repeatedly damaged by severe weather. Prior to the acquisition of land under this section, the executive office shall, after consultation with the municipality in which the land is located, develop a conservation and recreation management plan and a coastal erosion mitigation and management plan.

The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

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