Submit Written Testimony | H.583 / S.340

Complete the form to testify in support of H. 583 / S.340 An Act enabling all students to thrive: protecting a high quality, diverse educator workforce. This bill will ensure that high quality, early career educators of color are protected during reduction in force, as we work to build a high quality diverse teacher workforce.

Honorable Chairmen and Members of the Joint Committee:

Thank you for your time today. My name is [insert name here] and I am [insert role here] in [insert district or organization here]. I am writing today to show my support for H. 583 / S.340 An Act enabling all students to thrive: protecting a high quality, diverse educator workforce. 

<insert personal story or comment here>

The research is clear—when more teachers of color are in the classroom, all students thrive. Educators of color deliver:

  • greater classroom engagement

  • higher academic achievement

  • increased cross-cultural interactions

Yet in Massachusetts, 45% of all public-school students in identify as people of color, but only 10% of their teachers do. In 40% of all public schools, students do not have a single teacher of color.

We need to ensure that all students thrive, and this is not possible without having a workforce that reflects our diverse student body. We need to update the law governing layoff policies to:

  • Ensure all students are able to benefit from having access to highly qualified diverse teachers

  • Protect the current diversity of the state’s teacher workforce and the investments made to improve it 

I am asking that the Massachusetts state legislature takes criteria into account, along with longevity, when making employment or layoff decisions, including (among others):

  • If the teacher shares the linguistic proficiency in an in-district language

  • If they are certified in a subject for which there’s a shortage of teachers in the district or hard to staff school

  • If they’ve received Teacher of the Year recognition

Our students deserve a high quality, diverse educator workforce, and our teachers deserve to have their experience considered when making layoff decisions. I am asking the state legislature to prioritize teacher diversity and pass H.583/S.340 An Act enabling all students to thrive: protecting a high quality, diverse educator workforce.

Thank you for your time, 

[Insert name here]