Section 206 Teacher Layoffs Report

(a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:

"Lay off", a reduction in force or reorganization resulting from declining enrollment or other budgetary reasons.

"Lay off requirements", the requirements as described in the last paragraph of section 42 of chapter 71 of the General Laws.

(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of elementary and secondary education shall study and report on the impacts of lay off requirements on teacher diversity in the commonwealth.

(c)(1) Not later than October 1, 2025, the department of elementary and secondary education shall file a report with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate and the joint committee on education, including an analysis and recommendations on the impacts of the lay off requirements on teacher diversity.

(2) The report shall include, but shall not be limited to: (i) an analysis of the demographics of teachers that were laid off relative to their representation in the commonwealth's teacher workforce in school years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, including an analysis related to any disproportionate lay offs for teachers of color; (ii) data on any teachers laid off in the school years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 and their performance evaluation ratings in the school years immediately prior to the school year in which they were laid off; (iii) an analysis detailing the extent to which teachers who worked at schools with large numbers of high-needs students were laid off in the school years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, including an analysis related to any disproportionate lay offs for teachers of color; and (iv) an analysis detailing the extent to which teachers who worked at schools with low teacher retention were laid off in the school years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, including an analysis related to any disproportionate lay offs for teachers of color.