Gov. Healey signs early literacy bill

Gov. Maura Healey on June 26 signed a bill to update literacy standards and curriculum requirements for public school students in kindergarten through third grade.

The law will:
• Require districts to use evidence-based literacy instruction unless they apply for and receive a waiver to use curriculums not pre-approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
• Require DESE to create and make available a free curriculum that meets the new literacy instruction standards
• Create a special Early Literacy Fund for future appropriations and donations that would support DESE’s development of the new curriculum and other resources
• Set requirements for new student literacy-related screening assessments and reporting requirements
• Expand teacher training requirements
• Create new compliance and progress accountability measures

A House-Senate conference committee had released a compromise bill on June 16 that resolved differences between bills passed earlier in each chamber.

The compromise bill did not include $25 million from the Senate version that was intended as an initial investment in the Early Literacy Fund. Lead Senate negotiator Sen. Sal DiDomenico told State House News Service that he expects the Legislature to look at another vehicle, such as a supplemental budget, to provide funding to support the new initiatives.