Senate Acts to Boost Youngest Students’ Reading Education

Senate Acts to Boost Youngest Students’ Reading Education 

Legislation Reforms Literacy Education Standards, Aids Teachers’ Professional Development  

 

(BOSTON—1/29/2026) The Massachusetts Senate today passed legislation that supports young learners by ensuring reading instruction is rooted in proven, evidence-based practices. 

 

The bill creates new statewide standards for literacy education and assessment, offers professional development resources for educators, and offers flexible options and supplemental funding for public schools that work to implement evidence-based curricula. 

 

The bill, S.2924, An Act relative to teacher preparation and student literacy, ensures that every Massachusetts student from kindergarten to 3rd grade learns to read using phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and phonemic awareness—practices that data show as the best building blocks for lifetime learning. 

 

“Our state’s future success is built on ensuring that our children become confident readers,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Today, the Senate passed legislation to do just that—ensuring every child in a Massachusetts public school is taught using proven, research-based methods, while providing educators and school districts with the resources they need to succeed. This legislation builds on years of work to advance equity in our schools and ensure that, no matter a child’s background, every student can access a world-class, data-driven education. I am grateful to Chair Rodrigues and Chair Lewis for their work on this legislation, and to Senator DiDomenico for his leadership in filing it.” 

 

“Reading proficiency is a fundamental tenet of early education, when brain development is at its highest. While Massachusetts has been a recognized leader in early education, utilizing proven evidence-based learning models will only further improve our academic standards,” said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. “This legislation will not only help close achievement gaps and help disadvantaged learners, but it will support and strengthen teacher development and educator standards for all public schools in the Commonwealth. This comprehensive bill lays the foundation for a more skilled and adaptable workforce, essential to the state’s economic success and competitiveness.” 

 

To support school districts and educators with implementation, the legislation would create a new Early Literacy Fund seeded with $25 million in ‘Fair Share’ funding to help districts with costs and support educators’ professional development. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) would also make additional professional development resources available.  

 

“It is unacceptable that less than half of young students in Massachusetts are proficient in reading at their grade level. This important legislation ensures that educators use evidence-based early literacy curricula that are backed by science while leaving schools the option to decide what curriculum is best for their students and teachers,” said Senator Jason M. Lewis (D-Winchester), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “Strengthening student literacy through evidence-based instruction is a bipartisan issue with decades of scientific research backing it up. With the passage of this bill, the Massachusetts Senate continues its commitment to providing a high-quality education for all students across the Commonwealth.” 

 

“Today is a monumental moment for children across our state because we are passing my bill through the Senate to ensure all our students learn essential literacy skills,” said Senator Sal N. DiDomenico (D-Everett), lead Senate sponsor of the legislation. “We can all agree that teaching our kids to read and write is one of the most important skills we can instill in them, but far too many children in our schools are not meeting basic literacy benchmarks. Working with our teachers and administrators, this legislation will institute evidence-based curriculum to ensure all our students’ success in early literacy and give them the bright futures they deserve. I want to thank Senate President Spilka, Education Chair Lewis, my staff, the educators, and the advocates for their dedication to pushing this needed policy change over the finish line.” 

 

Schools would have three DESE-approved options to implement the new curriculum requirement: utilize a complete curriculum that is made available for free by DESE; use a curriculum from a list that meets evidence-based criteria; or receive a waiver authorizing the use of another curriculum that meets the same standards but had not been previously reviewed and approved by DESE. 

 
The legislation makes sure parents and schools engage in constructive communication about student progress. It requires twice-yearly assessments to gauge every young learner’s reading progress and to screen for dyslexia, and requires schools to contact a parent or guardian within 30 days if a student has fallen significantly behind and propose a response if that is the case. 

 

Full details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate’s press room. 

 

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means advanced the bill to the full Senate with a 13-0 vote on January 22, 2026. A previous draft was approved by the House of Representatives on October 29, 2025. All of the underlying Senate and House bills were initially reviewed by the Joint Committee on Education, which solicited public testimony at a hearing on September 16, 2025. All committee votes are posted on the Legislature’s website. 

 

The Senate passed the bill on a 38-0 roll call vote, and the legislation was sent to the House of Representatives to reconcile the few differences between Senate and House bills. 

Statements of Support 

 

Mary Tamer, Founder and Executive Director, MassPotential 

“This is an historic and necessary step forward for education in Massachusetts. Senate President Spilka and Senator DiDomenico have championed a transformative literacy bill that will change the trajectory of countless students across the Commonwealth, all of whom deserve the right to read. This legislation doesn’t just mandate best practices—it opens the door to opportunity for every child in every district. Reading is the foundation upon which all learning is built, and today, we are one step closer to guaranteeing that no child will be denied the bright future that literacy makes possible.” 

 

Luisa Sparrow, Boston Public Schools Teacher; 2025 Mass. Teacher of the Year  

“We become teachers because we dream of helping students learn. 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.” 

 

Dr. De’Shawn C. Washington, Founder and President, Cultivating Changemakers; 2024 Mass. Teacher of the Year 

“The ability for a child to read is one of the greatest and most essential gifts an educator can ever bestow. Literacy is a civil right, and it is the civic responsibility of the village to raise our children so they are empowered to become lifelong readers. The Right to Read Bill is a monumental step towards honoring that responsibility. By passing this legislation, Massachusetts affirms that every child attending school in the Commonwealth has the right to learn to read and use literacy as a vessel for purpose, possibility, and liberation. This bill also honors our educators by equipping them with the evidence-based tools and training needed to teach reading exceptionally well to our students. When we ground literacy instruction in research and invest in our teachers in training, we invest in a future where 100% of our children can read, learn, and lead, with confidence and boldness.” 

 

Nancy Duggan, Executive Director, Decoding Dyslexia MA 

“All students need to start their academic careers with strong foundational reading skills. This legislation ensures high quality standards for that to happen in every classroom across the Commonwealth.”  

 

Dr. Sarah Fennelly, President, The Reading League Massachusetts 

“Reading is more than a subject in school. It is a life skill every person needs to be a productive member of society. It is also a right, not a privilege. It is not a developmental milestone; it requires direct instruction by educators. We have research and evidence to show that there are best practices to teach children this important skill, and that there are practices that have been shown to be ineffective for a majority of students. This bill will ensure that best practices are applied so all students are taught this important life skill. This is not just best for students, it is best for all of us as a society to create a generation of well read, critical thinkers who can make important decisions and become the future leaders we need.” 

 

Jennie Williamson, State Director, EdTrust MA 

“Today marks a defining moment for literacy in Massachusetts. With the Senate’s passage of comprehensive literacy legislation, our state is taking bold action to close long standing equity gaps that have held too many students back—not because of ability, but because they lacked access to the instruction and support every child deserves. This bill helps change that by ensuring students in every community receive evidence based literacy instruction from well prepared educators. We are deeply grateful to Senate leadership for tackling this urgent issue, and to the MassReads coalition for the fierce advocacy that made this milestone possible.” 

 

Bithiah Carter, President and CEO, Give Black Alliance 

“The right to read has always been a civil right, won through struggle, sacrifice, and lives lost. Our 21st century responsibility is to finish the work by protecting this right, because when every child can read, knowledge becomes liberation, and democracy survives. When our children look back on this moment, we want to be on the right side of history.”