Massachusetts legislators are working out differences in bills that would bring the state closer to reforming statewide early-literacy education policy to address struggling performance levels. Despite Massachusetts’s high national ranking in education, literacy reform has been a topic of discussion at the Statehouse because test scores have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Across the Commonwealth, less than 50 percent of students in kindergarten through grade 3 (K-3) are meeting or exceeding expectations on the MCAS English Language Arts exam. These two bills, currently in committee conference to reconcile their differences, shift curricula to an “evidence-based” approach.
“I really believe this piece of legislation was a collaborative effort that drew on perspectives from parents, teachers, and students; that’s why it’s so exciting,” said Rep. Sean Garballey, D-Arlington. “We have seen statistics that are very clear that since the pandemic, students are not reaching the expected levels for literacy, and to me, that’s a serious, serious problem.”
Downward trend
The downward trend in scores is increasingly worrisome as a child’s reading proficiency level by the third grade is widely considered to be a key determinant of future academic success and life-long achievement, Sen. Jason Lewis, D-Winchester, Senate chair of the Legislature’s Committee on Education, said in a press release.
“I can speak to the Senate bill, which I voted with my colleagues to unanimously pass, which I believe includes provisions that will improve early learning outcomes in school districts like Arlington and beyond,” said Sen. Cindy Friedman, D-Arlington, in an emailed statement. “By creating a new statewide standard for teaching reading, to ensure that a child’s ZIP code doesn’t affect how well they learn to read.”
The legislation would require all public school districts to implement a high-quality K-3 early literacy curriculum by the start of the 2027-28 school year, with specific exceptions to be determined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The bill states that DESE will create and maintain a list of approved curriculum and professional development programs and provide resources to support teacher training.
Additionally, these DESE-approved curricula will be made available to districts at no cost. This will be made possible through funding and grants attached to the bills, like a $25 million Early Literacy Fund to help schools implement these requirements. One provision of the legislation that many, like Rep. Dave Rogers, D-Cambridge, found crucial is the flexibility for each school district to address the needs of its student body.
DESE to work with districts
“It’s just important that there’ll be a variety of methodologies that teachers can use that will be approved by DESE, and if a particular school district has a method that’s not approved in the legislation, they can apply to DESE to add their particular approach,” said Rogers.
“It addresses the concerns that teachers will lose autonomy or lose flexibility, because, if they have a method that’s not set forth in the law, they can apply to have it approved so that they can continue to use the approach that’s proved effective in their district.
Early in discussions, educators and constituents raised concerns that the new legislation could be too rigid, emphasizing that because each school and classroom is made up of different learners, teachers need the flexibility to tailor their approaches to meet students’ diverse needs.
As Arlington’s schools have not seen the same drastic decline in scores, this provision will allow schools to apply to keep methodologies that work for their students and address the specific needs of students who face individual challenges.
The Arlington Education Association declined to comment. The Massachusetts Teachers Association and Arlington Public Schools did not respond to requests to comment.
“My main focus in supporting this bill is certainly around low-income students, students with disabilities, English language learners, students across our state and even those in Arlington, to make sure they receive the resources in the curriculum necessary to make sure that they learn how to read,” said Garballey.
Data required
The new policy will also implement further data reporting requirements, screening students twice a year instead of just once, and mandates for educator preparation programs that align with evidence-based literacy instruction.
In assessing students twice in the year, teachers can use this data to adjust to their students’ needs and measure their progress in real time. “We become teachers because we dream of helping students learn,” said Luisa Sparrow, Boston Public Schools 2025 Teacher of the Year, in support of the Right to Read Act. “Learning to read is the most important academic skill we can possibly teach our students. But when we enter the classroom, too many educators realize we don’t have all the tools we need to actually teach our students to read. This bill will give teachers the tools we need to be effective in the classroom so that ALL students have the opportunity to attain the literacy skills they deserve.”
While the two bills are similar with minimal differences to reconcile, there is no timeline for negotiations in committee. Many are hopeful that these changes will soon be introduced to classrooms across the state, but there are still many steps left before the bills become law.