BOSTON – The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed three education bills that seek to improve reading outcomes among elementary school students, educate middle- and high-school students on personal financial literacy, and to update the criteria for awarding a Seal of Biliteracy for bilingual graduating students.
“It is important that as the science and research surrounding literacy education continues to evolve, that our educators evolve how they teach our students,” said State Representative Kathy LaNatra (D – Kingston). Over 50% of students in grade 10 are not meeting or exceeding ELA expectations. This legislation gives DESE the tools and framework to implement high-quality literacy education across the Commonwealth, to give every student the opportunity to succeed and that starts from an early age, with effective literacy education in grades K-3. The bills my colleagues and I passed today ensure that each and every student across the Commonwealth, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or geography, receives top-tier, evidence-based literacy education, is given the best opportunity to succeed from an early age, and is given the necessary tools, such as financial literacy skills, to succeed when they leave our public school system.”
Early Literacy and Teacher Preparation
English Language Arts 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 English Language Arts (ELA), and 50 percent in grade 10 are not meeting or exceeding ELA expectations. Additionally, achievement gaps among all major racial and ethnic student groups, students with disabilities, low-income students, and English learners have widened when compared with 2019, according to data from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The early literacy bill passed by the House today defines evidence-based early literacy as grounded in scientific research methods, and demonstrated to produce significant and positive effects on student learning outcomes. Many school districts in Massachusetts have switched to evidence-based early literacy curricula, and some have been assisted by grants awarded through the state’s Literacy Launch program, administered by Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and funded by the Legislature at $35 million. However, some school districts have yet to fully adopt proven literacy curricula, despite being the most effective ways to improve reading outcomes.