State Representative Daniel Webster (R-Pembroke) voted in opposition to House Bill 4410, An act relative to the achievement gap during a recent session of the House of Representatives.  The main focus of this bill was to alleviate deficiencies in underperforming schools and address Charter School reform.  While there were a number of meaningful initiatives provided in the proposal, Webster commented that this was not an easy vote, and that he had serious procedural concerns over the manner in which the House debated the bill and the provisions pertaining to the development of “turnaround plans” for struggling school systems.

Representative Webster primarily opposed the bill due to the fact that House Leadership consolidated over 100 individual amendments into just 3 omnibus amendments as time for debate drew to a close.  The move came just minutes before the House was scheduled to adjourn shortly before midnight.  “Sadly, we have yet another example of the Democratic supermajority ramming legislation through at the last minute.  How could one expect House members to make an informed decision without sufficient review of the bill and a healthy, open debate?  The issue of education reform should not be handled in such a cavalier manner.  This is a serious issue, and once again we bear witness to a broken process in action,” stated Webster.   

Another sticking point for Representative Webster came with the so-called “turnaround plans”, where certain provisions of the bill gave the sole responsibility of their development to the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Education.  Webster is opposed to the idea of centralizing a broad range of discretion in the hands of one state agency or office, thus eroding the ability of local schools to craft their own plans.  

“I have always been a proponent of allowing local school systems to develop their own curriculum with minimal state intervention.  However, the section dealing with ‘turnaround plans’ seeks to do just the opposite,” stated Webster.  Representative Webster believes that the Department of Education should play some role in this process, yet the input coming from school superintendents, School Committee members, faculty and members of the community is extremely valuable and equally important.  

The House version of the education reform bill now differs from the state Senate’s.  The discrepancies will be rectified through the Conference Committee process whereby legislators from both the House and Senate negotiate a compromise version of the differing proposals.