MassachusettsH 5511194th General Court (2025-2026)HouseWALLET

An Act relative to teacher preparation and student literacy

Sponsored By: Teacher Preparation and Student Literacy

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

7 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Paid apprenticeships help future teachers train

Subject to an appropriation, the state must create a teacher-apprenticeship pilot with an approved teacher-preparation program. Participants train in high-needs district classrooms with highly proficient mentor teachers. The pilot supports a competitive wage and core expenses, such as childcare, transportation, and textbooks. State regulations define the apprenticeship and target candidates; the law sets no wage or funding amount. The state must submit outcome reports one and three years after the pilot ends.

Reading checks and help for children

Districts must check every student’s reading progress at least twice each school year, from kindergarten through at least grade 3. They must use current state-approved tests, with rules that account for English learners and define significantly below-grade-level results. When results meet that threshold, districts must plan tailored or extra evidence-based reading instruction and monitor progress. Within 30 days after the result, districts must notify parents or guardians, explain the response, and offer a follow-up discussion. Districts must also create screening procedures for students showing at least one sign of a possible neurological learning disability, including dyslexia. State disability-screening guidance, developed with early-education officials, depends on an appropriation. Districts report procedures, tools, skills checked by grade, and testing schedules annually; the state publishes district assessment information, including approval status.

New literacy grants help school districts

The law creates an Early Literacy Fund run by the Secretary of Education, with no set dollar amount. Appropriations, gifts, grants, donations, and interest support the fund; unused money carries forward. Money can be spent without another appropriation on the free curriculum, implementation, and district grants. Grants cover curriculum updates, materials, teacher training, and required assessments and reports. Grant criteria favor districts not substantially meeting literacy standards and promote geographic and funding equity. The state must hold at least one Western Massachusetts hearing before finalizing criteria and help districts eligible under the specified 2025 appropriation apply. The Secretary must submit and publicly post a receipts-and-spending report by December 31 each year.

Schools must use proven reading curricula

Massachusetts districts must adopt an approved kindergarten-through-grade-3 reading curriculum or get a waiver before the 2027-2028 school year. Curricula must meet state standards and cover five research-based reading areas plus oral language. They cannot rely on implicit instruction, whole-word memorization, or three-cueing as substitutes for identifying words. State rules must ensure curricula serve all students, including students with disabilities and English learners. Waiver requests must show research support, results by student group, and the amount and duration of instruction. Approved districts must post their waiver reports and curriculum samples; the state can audit and revoke waivers. District plans and state school reviews must address these literacy standards. Each year, the state posts data requirements by August 15, districts submit data by October 31, and the state publishes and files its report by December 31.

Free reading materials and teacher training

The state must develop, maintain, and offer districts a free, complete kindergarten-through-grade-3 curriculum that meets state standards. It must be available before the 2027-2028 school year. Within six months after passage, the state must list high-quality curricula and notify districts about the free curriculum’s contents. The state also provides all teachers with free online reading-instruction training and maintains lists of approved training programs and vendors.

Teacher preparation must follow reading research

Teacher-preparation and certification rules must align with evidence-based reading instruction. Candidates must demonstrate competence and complete state-approved programs. State reviews assess preparation in five research-based reading areas, candidate quality and outcomes, and efforts to reduce achievement gaps. Each year, the state publishes program approval status, enrollment, candidate demographics, license areas sought, and graduate employment rates.

Teacher-training providers pay application review fees

Institutions must pay a fee for each application to review and approve a teacher-preparation program. The Secretary of Administration and Finance sets the fee each year to cover review and approval costs. The law gives no fee amount and does not directly charge students or households.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Teacher Preparation and Student Literacy
Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

Alice Hanlon Peisch
Democratic • House
Andres X. Vargas
Democratic • House
Bud L. Williams
Democratic • House
Danillo A. Sena
Democratic • House
Estela A. Reyes
Democratic • House
Justin Thurber
Republican • House
Margaret R. Scarsdale
Democratic • House
Mary S. Keefe
Democratic • House
Michael O. Moore
Democratic • Senate
Patricia A. Duffy
Democratic • House
Patrick Joseph Kearney
Democratic • House
Simon Cataldo
Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 153 • No: 0

House vote • 6/17/2026

Committee of conference report accepted