Chapter 766 and the Professional Educator

Abstract

Chapter 766, Massachusetts’ new special education law, has far reaching implications for all professional educators. From the perspective of a teacher organization negotiator, many questions arise when this new statute and the regulations pertaining to it are considered in relation to the state's new collective bargaining law and existing collective bargaining agreements. Several elements of this law create new demands with respect to the regular classroom teacher's time and professional expertise. On the other hand, the regulations seem to establish a truly professional role for educators in determining the educational plan for a child with special needs. Several aspects of the regulations are bound to foster considerable controversy, especially insofar as the relationships between local school committees and Core Evaluation Teams are concerned. Finally, it is conceivable that Chapter 766 could become an important source of change for improving the education of all children in the Commonwealth.