Rep. Jack Lewis Supports Early Literacy Legislation

(Framingham) Last week, Representative Jack Patrick Lewis voted in support of landmark literacy legislation that will transform how the Commonwealth teaches children to read. The bill establishes clear statewide standards for evidence-based reading instruction, requiring the teaching of phonics, ensuring access to high-quality K-3 curricula, enhancing educator training and support, and creating new reporting and accountability systems.

“While I am proud of the excellent teaching across my district, we must always strive to be better,” expressed Rep. Lewis (Framingham). “The impacts of the pandemic on public education are still being felt, and declining statewide test scores are an acute symptom of the problem. By establishing proper, evidence-based guidance, this legislation takes a bold step forward in ensuring that our children are truly learning to read.”

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“As a former public-school teacher, and as someone committed to improving the future of our Commonwealth, the drop in reading scores that students in Massachusetts have experienced in recent years is simply unacceptable,” noted House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (Quincy). “This bill reflects the Legislature’s commitment to ensuring that every school district in Massachusetts has access to the most effective early literacy instruction. The Commonwealth has a long and proud history of being a national leader in education, but in order to maintain that leadership, we must keep pace with what is proven to be effective in the classroom, which is exactly what this legislation does. I would like to thank Chairman Gordon, my colleagues in the House, and our partners in the Senate for working to get this critical legislation to the Governor’s desk for her signature.”

“We expect our kids to put in their best efforts when they go to school; in turn, our kids deserve our best efforts when it comes to teaching them how to read,” noted Senate President Karen E. Spilka (Ashland). “My family has personal experience with reading struggles, so I understand what so many students and parents are dealing with when it comes to literacy education not making the grade. That’s why I’m proud that the Senate prioritized this issue—and I’m proud we are getting this bill to the Governor’s desk. I am extremely grateful to the members of the conference committee, our partners in the House, and all of the people who spoke up on the need for high-quality comprehensive literacy instruction in our schools.”

Although Massachusetts is recognized as a national leader in education and our students consistently test high among national peers, recent data confirms there is more work to do. English Language Arts (ELA) scores continue to lag behind pre-pandemic levels. Almost 60 percent of all students in grades 3-8 are not meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA, and 50 percent in grade 10 are not meeting or exceeding ELA expectations. Additionally, achievement gaps among major racial and ethnic student groups and low-income students have widened when compared with 2019, according to data from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

High-Quality Early Literacy Education

The bill defines evidence-based early literacy as instruction featuring phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and phonemic awareness, and is demonstrated to produce significant and positive effects on student learning outcomes. It prohibits curricula that are not evidence-based and curricula that rely on implicit or incidental word reading strategies, including MSV/three cueing.

Many school districts in Massachusetts have already switched to evidence-based early literacy curricula, with some assisted by grants awarded through the state’s Literacy Launch program, administered by DESE and funded by the Legislature at $35 million. However, some school districts have yet to fully adopt evidence-based literacy curricula that have been proven to be most effective in improving reading outcomes.

The bill requires DESE to extend its free, high-quality K-2 literacy curriculum, currently available to Massachusetts school districts through grade 2, to include grade 3. DESE will be required to continue its practice of maintaining a list of other evidence-based K-3 literacy curriculum options that is kept up to date with current best practices and new curriculum releases. The bill also allows districts to apply to DESE to use a K-3 literacy instruction curriculum that is not on DESE’s approved list, provided DESE verifies that the curriculum utilizes evidence-based literacy instruction and meets quality standards.

The bill requires school districts to assess students’ reading abilities and review their progress at least twice each school year from kindergarten through third grade. For students who perform significantly below established benchmarks, schools must notify families of the screening results and provide a plan to address the student’s needs.

The bill also formalizes dyslexia and literacy screening requirements by requiring schools to develop protocols for identifying potential neurological learning disabilities, including dyslexia, and to report their screening practices annually.

To track progress, DESE must collect, aggregate, and publish annual statewide data on districts’ use of literacy curricula and instructional practices. In addition, literacy curriculum requirements will be incorporated into the district’s improvement plans that school districts are already required to develop every three years, ensuring that implementation of and compliance with the new literacy requirements are regularly monitored and addressed.

Teacher Preparation

The bill supports educators by requiring DESE to provide tools and resources that help school districts offer professional development that is aligned with evidence-based reading curricula for kindergarten through third-grade literacy teachers, paraprofessionals, and reading specialists. In addition, the legislation expands upon a 2024 pilot program for paid teaching apprenticeships in high-needs districts by directing DESE to support participants’ wages and essential expenses, making the program more accessible and inclusive.

DESE is also required to evaluate and report on the program’s outcomes, including licensure pass rates, hiring results, impacts on student achievement, and the feasibility of expanding the apprenticeship model statewide.

Finally, the bill ensures that educator preparation programs are preparing future educators in alignment with evidence-based literacy instruction.