Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S2653 Compare Versions

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11 SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2653
22 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
33 _______________
44 In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
55 (2023-2024)
66 _______________
77 SENATE, March 21, 2024.
88 The committee on Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill,
99 Senate, No. 263) of Sal N. DiDomenico, Paul W. Mark, John C. Velis, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.
1010 and other members of the General Court for legislation to promote high-quality comprehensive
1111 literacy instruction in all Massachusetts schools, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No.
1212 2653).
1313 For the committee,
1414 Jason M. Lewis 1 of 6
1515 FILED ON: 2/7/2024
1616 SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2653
1717 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
1818 _______________
1919 In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
2020 (2023-2024)
2121 _______________
2222 An Act to promote high-quality early literacy instruction and improve student outcomes.
2323 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
2424 of the same, as follows:
2525 1 SECTION 1. Section 55A of chapter 15 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2626 2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “curriculum and assessments;”
2727 3in line 56, the following language:-
2828 4 (6) evaluate the alignment of literacy instructional materials and curricula with
2929 5department-recommended high quality literacy instructional materials and curricula, as per
3030 6section 1E of chapter 69;
3131 7 SECTION 2. Said section 55A of chapter 15, as so appearing, is hereby further amended
3232 8by striking the language “(6) review the progress of overall student achievement and; (7)
3333 9evaluate student performance, school and district management, overall district governance and
3434 10any other areas deemed necessary by the office.” in lines 56 through 59, and replacing it with the
3535 11following language:- 2 of 6
3636 12 (7) review the progress of overall student achievement and; (8) evaluate student
3737 13performance, school and district management, overall district governance and any other areas
3838 14deemed necessary by the office.
3939 15 SECTION 3. Section 1E of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
4040 16Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding at the end of the first paragraph the following
4141 17sentence:- Curricula selected to meet the curriculum frameworks for elementary literacy must be
4242 18aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction.
4343 19 SECTION 4. Subsection (c)(ii) of section 1S of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as so
4444 20appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 41, the words “and (J)”, and inserting in
4545 21place thereof the following words:- (J) implementing evidence-based literacy instruction; and
4646 22(K)
4747 23 SECTION 3. Said subsection (c)(ii) of section 1S of chapter 69, as so appearing, is
4848 24hereby further amended by striking out, in line 44, the word “(I)”, and inserting in place thereof
4949 25the following word:- (J)
5050 26 SECTION 5. Section 38G of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
5151 27amended by inserting after the word “personnel”, in line 281, the following:-
5252 28 provided that policies and guidelines must include alignment with evidence-based
5353 29literacy instruction for educator preparation programs to be approved.
5454 30 SECTION 6.
5555 31 Section 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, as used in this bill,
5656 32the following words shall, unless the context requires otherwise, have the following meanings:- 3 of 6
5757 33 “department” means the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
5858 34 “Evidence-based literacy instruction" means structured instructional practices, including
5959 35sequential, systematic, explicit, and cumulative teaching, that (i) are based on reliable,
6060 36trustworthy, and valid evidence consistent with science-based reading research; (ii) are used in
6161 37core or general instruction, supplemental instruction, intervention services, and intensive
6262 38intervention services; (iii) have a demonstrated record of success in adequately increasing
6363 39students' reading competency, vocabulary, oral language, and comprehension and in building
6464 40mastery of the foundational reading skills of phonological and phonemic awareness, alphabetic
6565 41principle, phonics, spelling, and text reading fluency; and (iv) are able to be differentiated in
6666 42order to meet the individual needs of students. Evidence-based literacy instruction should align
6767 43with scientifically based reading research standards set forth in 20 USC 6368 (3)(4)(5)(6)(7).
6868 44 "Science-based reading research" means research that (i) applies rigorous, systematic,
6969 45and objective observational or experimental procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant to
7070 46reading development, reading instruction, and reading and writing difficulties and (ii) explains
7171 47how proficient reading and writing develop, why some children have difficulties developing key
7272 48literacy skills, and how schools can best assess and instruct early literacy, including the use of
7373 49evidence-based literacy instruction practices to promote reading and writing achievement.
7474 50 Section 2. (a) The department shall provide tools and resources to aid districts in
7575 51providing adequate professional development aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction
7676 52and science-based reading research for literacy teachers, paraprofessionals, and reading
7777 53specialists in grades pre-kindergarten through third grade.
7878 54 (b) The department shall create and maintain 4 of 6
7979 55 i. A list of department-approved, high-quality professional development programs and
8080 56vendors aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction best practices and science-based reading
8181 57research.
8282 58 ii. A set of online training modules available and free to all teachers that provide training
8383 59on the foundational practices and pedagogy aligned with evidence-based literacy instruction best
8484 60practices and science-based reading research.
8585 61 Section 3: Each school district shall at least two times per year assess each student's
8686 62reading ability and progress in literacy skills, from kindergarten through at least third grade,
8787 63using a valid, developmentally appropriate screening instrument approved by the department.
8888 64Consistent with section 2 of chapter 71B of the general laws and the department's dyslexia and
8989 65literacy guidelines, if such screenings determine that a student is significantly below relevant
9090 66benchmarks for age-typical development in specific literacy skills, the school shall determine
9191 67which actions within the general education program will meet the student's needs, including
9292 68differentiated or supplementary evidence-based literacy instruction and ongoing monitoring of
9393 69progress. Within 30 school days of a screening result that is significantly below the relevant
9494 70benchmarks, the school shall inform the student's parent or guardian of the screening results and
9595 71the school's response and shall offer them the opportunity for a follow-up discussion.
9696 72 Section 4: (a) The department shall create guidelines for districts to use to determine if
9797 73any students exhibit a reading deficiency. Guidelines shall include the steps that districts must
9898 74follow to address and remedy such reading deficiencies. The department shall consult experts to
9999 75identify and make available to districts literacy intervention approaches that are aligned with the
100100 76essential components of evidence-based literacy instruction and science-based reading research. 5 of 6
101101 77 (b) Districts shall follow department guidelines established in subsection (a) for any
102102 78student in kindergarten through grade 3 who exhibits a deficiency in reading.
103103 79 Section 5: (a)(1) The department shall identify a list of data requirements for reporting
104104 80purposes in order to ensure that districts are implementing evidence-based literacy instruction
105105 81under this bill. The department shall publish reporting requirements by the start of each school
106106 82year.
107107 83 (2) Beginning in 2025, each district shall report annually to the department, on or before
108108 84October 31, the data reporting requirements set out in subsection (a)(1).
109109 85 (b) Annually, beginning no later than December 31, 2025, the department shall aggregate
110110 86data collected from each district under this section and file a report with the clerks of the senate
111111 87and house of representatives, the joint committee on education and made public on the
112112 88department’s website.
113113 89 Section 6. The department shall convene a panel of expert stakeholders to study the early
114114 90literacy education landscape in the Commonwealth and draft recommendations to maximize
115115 91dissemination of evidence-based literacy instruction best practices among the educator workforce
116116 92in Massachusetts, which shall include, but not be limited to, pre-service training for teachers,
117117 93administrators, and related school-based service providers; professional development for in-
118118 94service teachers, administrators, and related school-based service providers; best practices related
119119 95to educator licensure, license endorsements or similar credentials intended to demonstrate
120120 96advanced knowledge of evidence-based literacy instruction best practices; and such other matters
121121 97as the panel may determine would advance more equitable literacy outcomes for all
122122 98Massachusetts students. 6 of 6
123123 99 Said recommendations shall be published in a report filed with the clerks of the senate
124124 100and the house of representatives, the joint committee on education and made public on the
125125 101department’s website no later than December 31, 2025.
126126 102 Section 7. The department shall promulgate such rules and regulations as it deems
127127 103necessary to implement the provisions of this bill.