Gov. Healey Signs Law to Change How Massachusetts Kids Learn to Read

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed a new law on Friday that changes how young students are taught to read. The signing took place with second graders from Blackstone Elementary School and education officials gathered around her. The law sets new rules for reading instruction from kindergarten through third grade. Leaders hope the changes will help more students become strong readers before they leave elementary school.

Healey spoke directly to the students at the event. "When you become a strong reader, you know that that really sets you up for success. Did you know that?" she said. She told the children that being a good reader would help them in every subject at school and in life beyond school.

The new law came after a 2023 investigation by The Boston Globe. Reporters found that nearly half of Massachusetts school districts were using reading programs that the state ranked as "low quality." At the time, the state did not have the power or the money to make districts switch to better programs.

The state legislature passed the bill on June 18. It requires schools to use reading methods that are backed by research, often called "evidence-based" instruction. The law also calls for all students to be tested on their reading skills regularly, expands training for teachers, and sets up ways to track how well districts and students are doing.

The law also limits the use of a teaching method called "three-cueing." This is a strategy where students try to figure out unknown words by looking at pictures, context clues, or how a sentence is built. Many reading researchers say this method is not as effective as teaching students to sound out words using phonics. The final version of the law kept a special fund to help districts buy new reading materials and train teachers, but removed a $25 million payment to that fund that an earlier version had included.

Senator Sal DiDomenico, who helped lead the bill in the Senate, said he expects lawmakers to find another way to add money to the fund in the future. "It did not make it into the bill, but we fully expect that we will do some sort of funding in the future," he said. DiDomenico also pointed out that while Massachusetts ranks number one in the country for education overall, not every age group benefits equally. He said gaps in the system have left some younger students behind.

An education group called MassPotential praised the new law. They called it "the first standalone education bill to pass in Massachusetts since before the Pandemic." The group said the law is a true step forward in helping all students know how to read by third grade. That means they believe it will help close the gap between students who read well and those who struggle.

Recent state test results show why the change is needed. Only about 42% of third graders in Massachusetts met expectations on the English language arts section of the MCAS test during the 2024–25 school year. Scores are even lower for students of color, low-income students, English language learners, and students with disabilities. Leaders say these numbers show that the current system is not working well enough for all kids.

Not everyone agreed with the new law. The Massachusetts Teachers Association, which represents many teachers, said the changes could hurt teacher professionalism and take away local decision-making. The group was also worried that limiting certain teaching tools could make it harder to support English learners and students with disabilities. Supporters of the law said Massachusetts was falling behind other states that had already made similar changes.

Governor Healey said her administration will work closely with school districts to help them carry out the new rules. She stressed that teachers are the most important factor in a student's success. "Without our educators, without our teachers, without these folks, nothing — nothing — is able to happen," she said. Massachusetts now joins more than 40 other states that have passed laws focused on the science of reading in the past ten years.