Sen. Lewis, Reps. Day & Ciccolo, & Legislature Enact Early Literacy Bill to Boost Student Reading Proficiency

BOSTON—State Senator Jason Lewis and State Representatives Michael S. Day and Michelle Ciccolo joined their colleagues in the Massachusetts Legislature to pass legislation to strengthen early literacy education for young learners by ensuring reading instruction is rooted in proven, evidence-based practices.

Although Massachusetts ranked first in the nation for fourth grade reading on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress assessment, known as The Nation’s Report Card, only 40 percent of students scored at the proficient or advanced level.

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The legislation therefore establishes statewide standards for evidence-based reading instruction, ensuring that every student from kindergarten to third grade learns to read using phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and phonemic awareness, also known as the Science of Reading, which educators widely recognize as the best foundation for lifelong learning.

The law also creates statewide standards for early literacy screening and reporting, improves educator training, and supports school districts with adopting new instructional materials and evidence-based teaching practices.

“It is completely unacceptable that less than half of children in Massachusetts are proficient in reading at their grade levels,” said Senator Jason Lewis, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “We worked hard in the Education Committee crafting this critical legislation to ensure that educators use evidence-based early literacy curricula that are backed by science while leaving schools the flexibility to decide what curriculum is best for their students and teachers.”

“Massachusetts’ schools are still addressing the lasting effects of the COVID-19 shutdown on student learning,” said Representative Michael S. Day, House Chair of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. “This legislation reflects bipartisan actions to keep Massachusetts the best state in the nation for all levels of education and to ensure our students receive the evidence-based reading instruction and support they need to become to be successful in and out of the classroom.”

“Ensuring that each student receives the highest quality education is both a serious responsibility and a strategic investment in the future of our Commonwealth,” said Representative Michelle Ciccolo. “This bill will prioritize evidence-based learning while still offering schools the flexibility needed to serve each individual community. I applaud the hard work of the many advocates, school officials, and legislators who helped shape this legislation.”

The legislation directs the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to create and maintain a list of high-quality early literacy curricula for school districts to select from. This approach ensures educators use effective curricula, while preserving local flexibility for schools (including a temporary waiver process) to select the curriculum best suited for their community’s needs.

To support school districts with implementation, the legislation requires DESE to develop a comprehensive K-3 early literacy curriculum to be made available to school districts at no charge.

The legislation also 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 teachers, paraprofessionals, and reading specialists.

It requires schools to assess K-3 students’ reading progress at least twice a year. If a student falls significantly behind literacy benchmarks, schools must contact a parent or guardian within 30 days and develop a plan to support the student. The legislation also formalizes dyslexia and literacy screening requirements by requiring schools to develop protocols for identifying potential neurological learning disabilities.

Many Massachusetts school districts have already switched to evidence-based early literacy curricula with assistance from a $35 million investment that the legislature provided for the state’s Literacy Launch program. To continue tracking progress, the law requires DESE to collect, aggregate, and publish annual statewide data on districts’ use of literacy curricula and instructional practices.

After passing in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, Governor Maura Healey signed the legislation into law on June 26, 2026.