Educators know firsthand how crucial reading and literacy skills are to student success in the classroom, and that strong instruction is both complex and adaptive. That is why reading specialists and other educators – the professionals with expertise in instruction who are working on a daily basis to support student learning – are deeply concerned by approaches to literacy instruction that restrict educators and districts. It is also why the members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association voted overwhelmingly at our Annual Meeting of Delegates to oppose state mandates to use specific literacy curricula such as what is included in S.2924.

The Massachusetts state Senate is scheduled to vote on this legislation on Thursday, January 29 and we need your help in urging senators to support Amendments 25, 26 and 30 to S.2924. These amendments reflect the expert perspective of the educators who are working in the classroom every day to support our students.

Specifically, the amendments together would keep decision making at the local level and ensure that districts are able to select the high-quality and evidence-based curricula that best meets the needs of our students; make clear that reading research is not static; specify that educators must be able to use our professional judgement and expertise to adapt instructional materials rather than be subject to top-down, scripted curricula; and prioritize bringing more reading specialists, librarians and other educators into our public schools at a time when many positions are under threat due to budget challenges around the state.

Please email your senator right away and urge them to listen to public school educators, the experts on literacy, by supporting Amendments 25, 26 and 30 to S.2924. Please also call your senator to follow up on your email. You can find their phone number by clicking here.