R 316

2018 -- S 2503 Enacted 06/19/2018

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE MASSACHUSETTS EDUCATION REFORM ACT (MERA) OF 1993, AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE RHODE ISLAND'S OVERALL EDUCATION STANDARDS AND GOVERNANCE

Introduced By: Senators Pearson, Satchell, Gallo, Lombardi, and Picard

Date Introduced: March 01, 2018

WHEREAS, The Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA) of 1993 established a

detailed and ambitious agenda and framework under which public education in Massachusetts

would operate. Over the ensuing two and a half decades, the standards-based reform effort has

been an overwhelming success for the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, The reform led to major increases in the amount of state aid that flowed to

schools, established high standards, and required more accountability across the entire education

system; and

WHEREAS, Under reform guidelines, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and

Secondary Education employs five overarching core strategies to advance the goal of success for

all students:

1. Strengthen standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessments;

2. Promote educator development;

3. Support social-emotional learning, health, and safety;

4. Turn around the lowest performing districts and schools; and

5. Use technology and data to support student learning; and

WHEREAS, Currently, reforms support educators in a process of self-improvement and

performance review; help districts strengthen their curriculum and instruction; deliver

technologically sophisticated tools to help educators and administrators leverage data they

routinely collect; and identify and intervene in schools that are struggling the most to serve their

students well; and

WHEREAS, In addition, reform efforts led to the adoption of the Common Core State

Standards, the development and administration of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment

System (MCAS); and

WHEREAS, The 2010 Achievement Gap Act more clearly outlined accountability

provisions that flowed from the original Act's broad framework and powers, and pursued a

realistic set of expectations for state oversight of school and district turnaround efforts and

significantly reflected and delineated the role of charter schools within the evolution of the

education system; and

WHEREAS, In June of 2011, The Model System was implemented, and provided a

comprehensive educator evaluation system; and

WHEREAS, The Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA) of 1993 has made

Massachusetts a national leader in public education, and the state's continuing analysis and

resultant provisions are providing students with a competitive advantage that Rhode Island

students deserve; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby respectfully requests the Rhode Island Board of Education to conduct a comprehensive

review of the Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA) of 1993, and subsequent Acts and

reform measures, to determine and recommend measures to promote the adoption of ways in

which this state's resources can be most effectively utilized to improve Rhode Island's overall

education standards and governance; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby requests the Rhode Island Board of Education to

report back to the Senate on or before December 1, 2018; and

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable Gina Raimondo, Governor of the

State of Rhode Island, Barbara S. Cottam, Chair of the Rhode Island Board of Education, and

Ken Wagner, Commissioner of the Rhode Island Department of Education.

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LC004963

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