Executive Order  No. 83: Establishing a Governor's Commission to Establish a Comprehensive Plan for School District Organization and Collaboration, and defining its powers and duties

WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of our Commonwealth to promote the educational opportunity of children in our changing society; and

WHEREAS, the size and resources of school systems, collaborative arrangements among school systems, and services from state agencies are important factors in providing at reasonable cost the full range of educational services required by children; and

WHEREAS, inequalities of educational opportunity exist be- cause many school systems are unable to provide a full range of educational services or to provide them at reasonable cost; and

WHEREAS, the Advisory Council on Education has caused to have conducted a preliminary study of school district organization in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, said Council in collaboration with the Board of Education has developed a plan for a two year study to be supported by funds appropriated to said Council and involving broad participation of citizens,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Francis W. Sargent, Governor of the Commonwealth, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Supreme Executive Magistrate, do hereby order as follows:

1. There is hereby created a commission, to be known as the Governor's Commission to Establish a Comprehensive Plan for School District Organization and Collaboration to consist of twenty-five members appointed by the Governor for a term of two years, renewable once, and representing the several regions of the Commonwealth and a broad spectrum of its citizens. The Governor will name one of the appointed members as chairman and one as vice-chairman. Upon notification by the chairman of vacancies, the Governor shall fill such vacancies as occur.
2. The commission shall give full attention to the charge appended to this order and shall seek to fulfill the directions of the charge in preparing a comprehensive plan for the organization of educational services. The commission may form committees from its own members and may form task forces from outside its own membership to assist it in gathering information, in analyzing such information and conditions as exist, and in formulating conclusions and recommendations. The commission shall meet bi-monthly with the exception of the months of July and August, may hold such additional meetings as the chairman shall call, and may hold hearings and seminars in various parts of the Commonwealth. The commission shall receive the co- operation of all state departments and agencies including that of the school systems of the Commonwealth.
3. Upon completion of the study and upon request of the Board of Education, the commission shall continue to serve in an advisory capacity the said Board for so long as said Board shall desire.

Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston this tenth day of November in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and seventy-one and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and ninety-sixth.

FRANCIS W. SARGENT

Governor

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

JOHN F. X. DAVOREN

Secretary of the Commonwealth