Bill > H611

This bill aims to improve procurement procedures to ensure opportunities for students with disabilities. It proposes several key provisions: 1. The Operational Services Division shall establish a subsequent year price adjustment for contractors providing goods or services related to special education within the Commonwealth, based on a per-student annual adjustment amount. 2. The Division shall promulgate rules and regulations to promote the recruitment and retention of direct care staff, including teachers, related service staff, healthcare staff, and clinical staff, by allowing approved programs to apply for salary and benefit increases. This is intended to increase the rate of licensure and certification, and decrease staff attrition, ensuring salaries and benefits are comparable to public schools or relevant state agencies. 3. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall review the facilities, textbooks, equipment, technology, materials, and supplies of approved private special education programs during their next evaluation, and recommend pricing adjustments to address needed instructional resource upgrades. 4. The Division's pricing mechanisms shall not be based on non-Commonwealth or prior year's revenues, and any price adjustments must be made within 90 days of a program's notice of intent to apply for salary and benefit upgrades, which must be provided by October 1 for the following fiscal year.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H611