Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 71b - Children With Special Needs
Section 6 - Assignment of Children to Classes; Annual Report; Equal Educational Opportunities; Prima Facie Denial; Hearings; Injunctive or Other Relief

Section 6. School committees shall annually report to the department, pursuant to regulations promulgated by the department, the assignment by sex, national origin, economic status, race and religion, of children by age level to special education classes and the distribution of children residing in the district by sex, national origin, economic status, race and religion of children by age level. Within any school district if in any special education program there is a pattern of assignment throughout the district on the basis of sex, national origin, economic status, race or religion of the students which is substantially disproportionate from the distribution, the department shall notify such school district of its prima facie denial of equal educational opportunities. The department shall hold public hearings to investigate into such prima facie denial, at which hearings the local school district shall show that such disproportion is necessary to promote a compelling education interest of the children affected and of the commonwealth. If the local school district fails to make such showing, a denial of equal educational opportunities shall be declared by the department and it shall order said district to submit a plan to eliminate such denial to be effective for the school year immediately following such declaration and order. If in the view of the department the plan submitted is inadequate, or if implementation of said plan proves inadequate, the department may request the attorney general to proceed to the superior court for all necessary injunctive and other relief. If such prima facie denial has continued without elimination for a period of two consecutive years in any school district, any person residing in such school district may bring suit in the superior court of his residence to determine whether there is such adequate justification for the prima facie denial, and in the event there is not, to obtain the necessary and appropriate injunctive or other relief.

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