Massachusetts Literacy Reform Bill Dies, But State Spends $20 Million on Reading Education

Here’s why it’s important.

Massachusetts Literacy Crisis

Massachusetts prides itself on offering the highest quality education in the country, but a four-part Globe investigation earlier this year found that children struggle with reading and comprehension.

Currently, decisions about curriculum in Massachusetts schools are left to local districts. A Globe report found that nearly half of all districts in the state use a curriculum that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education considers low-quality because it promotes discredited teaching practices.

More than half of third-grade students in 2023 could not read well, including children of color, children from low-income families, and students with disabilities. even further behind, even in the state’s top schools.

“Although Massachusetts likes to tout its national leadership, we are not a true commonwealth if we have such large, persistent achievement gaps that can be linked to early literacy problems,” said Edward M. Lambert, executive director of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education.

How is Mass. dealing with this problem?

In her January State of the Commonwealth speech, Healey proposed Literacy Launch, a five-year plan to improve reading.

In addition, lawmakers have drafted a literacy reform bill. Though it failed to pass, the bill, which was opposed by teachers union leaders and some school administrators, has sparked a debate about how best to address the state’s literacy crisis. Opinions are divided, but Sen. Sal DiDomenico, the bill’s sponsor, said “everyone believes we need to improve in this area.”

Ben Tobin, who tutors high school children with dyslexia, helping them achieve age-appropriate levels reading level, said there was no progress in the bill is “very discouraging.”

“The legislation is important for all students, not just dyslexic kids,” Tobin said. “I just think dyslexic kids are the ones who are most affected by the lack of an appropriate education.”

Mary Bourque, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, said the bill is a “top-down” approach that leaves little room for teachers — education experts — to make decisions on behalf of their students.

“But what we feel about Literacy Launch is more of a partnership with the districts,” Bourque said. “The districts that are willing to engage in this and recognize that they need help with this work are able to get funding to get it going.”

What does cutting funding mean?

The approved budget allocates $20 million for the first year of Literacy Launch, but $10 million less than Healey proposed. While the five-year plan is expected to receive at least some funding, it’s unclear how much, since lawmakers make the decision each year.

The administration plans to fund the new investment with revenue from the so-called millionaires’ tax, approved by voters in 2022. It imposes an additional 4 percent surtax on annual net income above $1 million. The state uses it to fund transportation and other educational initiatives, including making it possible for every resident to attend a Massachusetts community college for free.

Michael Moriarty of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education He said he was grateful for the $20 million but saw it as a “troubling sign” that the state had not funded the entire amount.

“We have a 100 percent literacy crisis in Massachusetts, and yet we’re only spending two-thirds of the resources that are supposed to solve it,” Moriarty said. “If this is a signal that over five years it’s only going to be $100 million instead of $150 million, then that completely undermines the kind of work that needs to be done.”

Kerin Carli, a Hingham mother of three dyslexic children and a dyslexia education activist, said the cut in investment makes her question the state’s commitment to addressing the literacy crisis.

“I feel like with this $20 million, (legislators) are just putting a Band-Aid on us to keep us quiet,” Carli said. “It’s a lot of money, but these kids deserve it.”

What are other states doing?

After the pandemic delayed student learning, other states poured significant amounts of state money into early childhood education initiatives. North Carolina pledged $115 million and Ohio pledged $174 million — Massachusetts’ 2024 budget allocated just $5.3 million.

“We’re eager to get to work and spend a lot of time in the community with educators, with district leaders,” said Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler. “I know there’s a lot of excitement about this effort, so we’re ready to get to work — Massachusetts families and children deserve it.”

This article uses material from previous Globe reports.

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Natalie La Roche Pietri can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @natalaroche.