Massachusetts H 5511: An Act relative to teacher preparation and student literacy

Bill Text

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HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 5511 
 
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
 
 
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The committee of conference on the disagreeing votes of the two branches with reference 
to the Senate amendment (striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof 
the  text  contained  in  Senate  document  numbered  2940)  of  the  House  Bill  relative  to  teacher 
preparation  and  student  literacy  (House,  No.  4683),  reports  recommending  passage  of  the 
accompanying bill (House, No. 5511) June 16, 2026.  
 
 
 
  
Kenneth I. Gordon Sal N. DiDomenico 
Simon Cataldo Jason M. Lewis 
John J. Marsi Patrick M. O’Connor 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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        FILED ON: 6/16/2026 
HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 5511 
 
 
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
 
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court 
(2025-2026) 
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An Act relative to teacher preparation and student literacy. 
 
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority 
of the same, as follows: 
 
1 SECTION 1. The first sentence of the fifth paragraph of section 55A of chapter 15 of the 
2General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out 
3clauses (6) and (7) and inserting in place thereof the following 3 clauses:-  
4 (6) evaluate the alignment of literacy instructional materials and curricula with 
5department-recommended evidence-based literacy instruction and high-quality curricula, as 
6defined in section 1E½ of chapter 69; (7) review the progress of overall student achievement; 
7and (8) evaluate student performance, school and district management, overall district 
8governance and any other areas deemed necessary by the office. 
9  SECTION 2. Chapter 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after 
10section 2NNNNNN the following section:- 
11 Section 2OOOOOO. (a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the 
12commonwealth a separate, non-budgeted special revenue fund known as the Early Literacy Fund, 
13which shall be administered by the secretary of education. The fund shall be credited with: (i) 

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14appropriations or other money authorized or transferred by the general court and specifically 
15designated to be credited to the fund; (ii) funds from public and private sources including, but 
16not limited to, gifts, grants and donations; and (iii) any interest earned on such money. 
17 (b) Amounts credited to the fund shall be expended, without further appropriation, to: (i) 
18develop a free, complete high-quality curriculum for kindergarten through grade 3 that meets 
19frameworks established in section 1E of chapter 69; (ii) implement section 1E½ of said chapter 
2069; and (iii) provide grants to school districts to support: (1) updating curricula to meet the 
21curriculum frameworks established in said section 1E½ of said chapter 69; (2) purchasing 
22materials related to such curricula; (3) providing professional development to educators to 
23support implementation of the new curricula; and (4) meeting the reporting and assessment 
24requirements established in sections 57A to 57C, inclusive, of chapter 71. The department shall 
25create and maintain grant eligibility and application criteria for the distribution of the grant funds 
26pursuant to clause (iii) of the first sentence; provided, however, that the criteria shall prioritize 
27districts that are not in substantial compliance with such requirements established in said section 
281E½ of said chapter 69 at the time of application and shall prioritize achieving geographic and 
29funding equity; provided further, that the department shall hold at least 1 hearing in western 
30Massachusetts prior to creating such criteria; and provided further, that the department shall 
31provide technical assistance for grant applications for districts that are eligible for funding under 
32item 7061-9813 of section 2 of chapter 9 of the acts of 2025. 
33 (c) Any unexpended balance in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall remain available 
34for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years. 

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35 (d) Annually, not later than December 31, the department shall submit a report on the 
36receipts and expenditures of the fund and file the report with the clerks of the senate and the 
37house of representatives, the senate and house committees on ways and means and the joint 
38committee on education. The department shall make the report publicly available on the 
39department’s website. 
40 SECTION 3. Chapter 69 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after 
41section 1E the following 2 sections:- 
42 Section 1E½. (a) As used in this section and section 1E¾, the following words shall have 
43the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise: 
44 “District”, public education entities i