Mass. literary reform bill dies but state puts $20M toward reading education

Here’s why it matters.

The literacy crisis in Massachusetts

Massachusetts touts itself as offering the highest quality education in the nation, but a four-part Globe investigation earlier this year found that kids are falling behind in reading and comprehension.

Currently, curriculum decisions in Massachusetts schools are left to local districts. The Globe’s report found nearly half of all districts in the state were using a curriculum the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education considers low quality for promoting discredited teaching practices.

More than half of third-graders in 2023 were not proficient readers — and kids of color, low-income children, and students with disabilities were further behind, even in the state’s top-ranked schools.

“Even though Massachusetts likes to point to its number-one-in-the-nation status, we’re not a real Commonwealth if we have these wide, persistent achievement gaps that can be traced back to early literacy challenges,” said Edward M .Lambert, executive director of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education.

How is Mass? tackling the problem?

In her State of the Commonwealth address in January, Healey proposed Literacy Launch, the five-year reading improvement plan.

Additionally, lawmakers drafted the literacy reform bill. While it didn’t pass, the bill, which was opposed by teachers union leaders and some school administrators, ignited conversation about how to best tackle the literacy crisis in the state. Opinions are mixed, but Senator Sal DiDomenico, the bill’s sponsor, said “everybody feels that we need improvement in this area.”

Ben Tobin, who tutors middle school kids with dyslexia to help them get on the age-appropriate reading level, said the bill’s lack of advancement is “very discouraging.”

“The legislation is important for all students, it’s not just dyslexic kids,” Tobin said. “I just think that the dyslexic kids are the most seriously affected by the lack of proper instruction.”

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

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

What does the cut in funds mean?

The approved budget directs $20 million to the Literacy Launch’s first year, but $10 million less than what Healey proposed. While the five-year plan is guaranteed to receive at least some funding, it’s unclear how much, as lawmakers make the determination each year.

The administration plans to pay for the new investment with revenue from the so-called millionaires tax, passed by voters in 2022. It placed an additional 4 percent surtax on annual net income over $1 million. The state is using it to fund transportation and other education initiatives, including allowing every resident to attend a Massachusetts community college tuition-free.

Michael Moriarty of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education said he is grateful for the $20 million, but considers it a “worrisome signal” that the state didn’t fund the full ask.

“We have 100 percent of a literacy crisis in Massachusetts and yet, we’re only looking at two-thirds of the funding that was targeted to address it,” Moriarty said. “If this is a signal that over the course of five years it’s only going to be $100 million instead of $150 million, that would absolutely undermine the kind of work that needs to happen.”

For Kerin Carli, a mother to three dyslexic children living in Hingham and a dyslexia education advocate, the reduction of investment makes her question the state’s commitment to grappling with the literacy crisis.

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

What are other states doing?

After the pandemic set back student learning, other states funded significant sums of state money into early education initiatives. North Carolina committed $115 million and Ohio pledged $174 million — Massachusetts’ 2024 budget allocated just $5.3 million.

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

Material from previous Globe reports was used in this story.

---

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