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S 386

Retired law enforcement officers

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jason Elliott

Requires districts to adopt, annually update, and fund professional development for all educators focused on equitable, culturally responsive instruction and bias reduction.

Referred to Committee on Judiciary
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Bill Summary · S 386

Summary — S.386 (filed as Senate Docket No. 1698, 2025)

An Act addressing racial and cultural bias training in educator professional development.

Quick summary

S.386 replaces Section 38Q of Chapter 71 (Massachusetts General Laws) to require every school district to adopt and annually update a comprehensive professional development (PD) plan for principals, teachers, professional staff, paraprofessionals, teacher assistants and school council members. The plan must include training on implementing new curriculum frameworks, creating equitable and inclusive school climates, culturally and linguistically responsive instruction, implicit bias and the effects of gender and racial/cultural bias (specifically toward Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), plus collaboration and instruction for English learners. District plans must be filed yearly with the Commissioner of Education; the Commissioner must also prepare an annual statewide assistance plan and report.

Key provisions and changes

  • Replaces existing Section 38Q of Chapter 71 with a new, expanded PD requirement.
  • Requires each district to adopt and annually update a PD plan and set a PD budget within the foundation budget.
  • Required PD topics include:
    • Implementation of new curriculum frameworks and related pedagogical skills.
    • Creating equitable, inclusive school and classroom climates.
    • Participatory decision-making and parent/community involvement.
    • Delivering framework content in racially, linguistically, and culturally responsive ways.
    • Training on the effects of gender and racial/cultural bias toward BIPOC students and on implicit bias.
    • Analyzing and integrating diverse learning styles and collaboration methods among teachers, paraprofessionals, and TAs.
    • In districts with English learners, training in second-language acquisition techniques tied to teacher/administrator re-certification.
  • Plans may include training on pre-referral services within regular education.
  • School council members must also receive PD under the district plan.
  • Annual filing of district PD plans with the Commissioner of Education is required.
  • The Commissioner must prepare and submit an annual statewide assistance plan (including district-level data on PD for educators of English learners) to the Board of Education and the Joint Committee on Education, Arts, and Humanities; the Commissioner shall consult the Board of Higher Education and evaluate assistance from higher-education institutions and private providers.

Who is affected

  • Directly: principals, classroom teachers, other professional staff, paraprofessionals, teacher assistants, and school council members across Massachusetts public school districts.
  • Indirectly: students (particularly BIPOC and English learners), families/communities, teacher preparation/recertification processes, local district budgets (within the foundation budget framework), and potential PD providers (higher education and private vendors).

Implementation, timeline and procedural status

  • Filed (Senate Docket No. 1698) 1/16/2025; introduced in the Senate 2/04/2025.
  • Legislative actions indicate multiple referrals and scheduled hearings (e.g., hearings noted for 10/14/2025 and 12/02/2025). Current status listed as referred to committees (Investigations and Government Operations; Education). The bill is in committee/consideration stage.
  • District PD plans are to be updated and filed annually; the Commissioner’s statewide plan is to be prepared annually and submitted to the Board of Education and the Joint Committee.

Notes

  • The submitted metadata contains inconsistencies (e.g., an initial title referencing “small business savings accounts” and sponsor names that appear to be federal senators). This summary is based solely on the bill text replacing Section 38Q of Chapter 71 concerning educator professional development.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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