DiDomenico pushes ‘Right to Read Act’ to address statewide literacy shortfalls

Special to The Advocate

On September 16, 2025, State Senator Sal DiDomenico spoke at a Mass Reads coalition rally and testified before the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Education in support of his early literacy bill, S.338, which would ensure our students are being taught with curriculums that are backed by science and proven to be effective. A recent national report revealed that 60% of Massachusetts fourth graders are reading below grade level, and these numbers are even worse for Black and Latino students, English learners, students from low-income backgrounds and students with disabilities. Senator DiDomenico joined teachers, superintendents and advocates from all over the state to support this critical legislation, and as a member of the Committee on Education, he had the opportunity to listen to other testimony and ask questions to better understand all perspectives on this critical issue.

“I think everyone can agree that Massachusetts must guarantee every child who goes through our school system will be taught how to read, and yet we are not meeting this bare minimum obligation for most students across our state,” said Senator DiDomenico. “Working with our teachers, this legislation will institute evidence-based curriculum to ensure all of our students’ success in early literacy and give them the bright futures they deserve. I want to thank all of the educators, advocates, and legislators who came to support this bill, and I will be working tirelessly to get this needed policy change over the finish line.”

Reading comprehension by third grade is one of the most predictive indicators of future success. Unfortunately, more than half of third graders in Massachusetts are not meeting crucial English Language Arts benchmarks. Research has shown that evidence-based reading methods, like phonics, are an effective way to teach children how to read, but many students across our state are not being taught with these evidence-based methods. DiDomenico’s bill will require that all students are taught with curriculums that have been proven to be effective.