Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Witnesses urge Massachusetts to codify federal protections for immigrant, English‑learner and disabled students
Summary
Advocates, legal experts and the attorney general's office told the Joint Committee on Education that state law should enshrine federal protections for immigrant students, English learners and students with disabilities to prevent rollbacks at the federal level and to ensure access to interpretation and special‑education safeguards.
Advocates, lawyers and state officials told the Joint Committee on Education on Wednesday that Massachusetts should put federal protections for immigrant students, English learners and students with disabilities into state law to ensure access to public education regardless of what happens in Washington, D.C.
Supporters said the bills filed as H.650 and S.436 would not create new rights but would codify long‑standing federal protections — citing Plyler v. Doe, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and federal guidance for English learners — so the Commonwealth can guarantee services even if federal enforcement weakens. "By codifying these rights into state law, we ensure that Massachusetts continues to uphold equity and education no matter what happens in Washington, DC," Sen. Francisco Paiano told the committee.
The bills drew testimony from a wide coalition: parents…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
