Once again, it is public comment season! On the menu this month are four sets of proposed regulations related to Early Literacy. The proposed regulations implement Student Literacy Act of 2026.
In June 2026, the long-discussed statutory language on early literacy was signed by Gov. Maura Healy and set into motion a suite of regulatory and policy changes at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. An Act Relative to Teacher Preparation and Student Literacy created a mandate for school districts to adopt “approved” curricula and instructional materials for early literacy programs that service students in kindergarten through grade three. These “high-quality curriculum” approved by DESE (a process TBD, by the way) must include the magic words of “(i) includes instruction in the five research-based areas in reading instruction and oral language development; and (ii) utilizes and is based upon evidence-based literacy instruction” and is prohibited from using the now-banned-in-Boston-strategies of “MSV or three-cueing, as a substitute for identifying a word.”
And just in case the world moves faster than the bureaucratic approval process at DESE, the Student Literacy Act includes a process for districts to request a waiver to use an Early Literacy curriculum that does not appear on the approved list.
The statute and associated proposed regulations both have additional language related to teacher preparation programs and early literacy screenings for students in early elementary grades. The proposed new section for Early Literacy regulations would repeal and replace the existing Early Literacy Screening regulations. It might be too soon to tell if the revised screening language will make meaningful changes to the existing early literacy screening and reporting requirements.
If you are feeling moved to share your feedback on the proposed regulations, public comment is open now through December 28, 2026. More information on Public Comment Submissions is available at www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs.
There are four sets of regulations. For each set of regulations, public comment may be submitted for each one individually or together:
Complete the Public Comment Form Here
Email: instructionalsupport@mass.gov
Submit written comment via mail to:
Regulations Public Comment
c/o Commissioner’s Office
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149
For pre-reading (or pre-watching), the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education held a special meeting with a preview of the draft regulations on October 13. A recording of the meeting is available online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=72QVVsSeNeM.
At the October 27 BESE meeting, the full proposed regulations were discussed and voted to send out for public comments. The presentation by the DESE staff and BESE discussion about the proposed regulations is here.
Three documents with background information and reasoning were also part of the October 27 BESE meeting agenda:
- Memo to BESE on Student Literacy Act: Proposed Regulatory Amendments
- Presentation Slides on An Act Relative to Teacher Preparation and Student Literacy: Background and Proposed New Regulations and Amendments to Current Regulations
- Crosswalk and Background of Proposed Amendments
The full text of each of the four sets of amendments are included below.
603 CMR 58.00: Early Literacy
This set of regulations is an entirely new section that addresses the bulk of the requirements under the Student Literacy Act. A short summary of the content of each section is included below.
Definitions
The proposed definitions of terms used in this section.
Early Literacy Screening
The proposed language in this section replaces the existing regulatory requirements for early literacy screening. The language appears to add new requirements to the screenings that include screenings for “neurological learning disabilities” and not just identification of risk of such disabilities. The proposed language specifically names dyslexia as a required screening area.
High-Quality Curriculum
Language in this section will set the requirement for districts to use a “high quality curriculum.” DESE is required to provide a list of “approved high-quality curricula,” a list of screening assessments, professional development providers and free, online training modules.
There is no timeline for DESE to publish the list of high-quality curricula or resources, however, districts are required to implement the approved curriculum by the 2027-28 school year.
Waivers
As required by the Student Literacy Act, DESE has proposed a process for districts to request a waiver from using one of the approved “high-quality curricula.” The proposed process will require districts to use some sort of “student achievement” and reapply every two years for the waivers.
Literacy Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Pilot Program
DESE shall, subject to appropriation, develop literacy registered teacher apprenticeship teacher licensure program. The program will support candidates pursuing a “literacy related Initial license” in a high-needs district in a classroom with a “highly proficient mentor teacher”.
General Requirements
Evaluation of alignment of early literacy instructional materials, curricula and instruction shall be included in District Reviews.
603 CMR 7.00 Educator Licensure and Preparation Program Approval
The propose amendments to 603 CMR 7.00 will impact the requirements for organizations that offer teacher licensure programs. Educators who seek to licensure as a teacher in Massachusetts are required to complete an approved teacher preparation program (or have completed an accepted out of state program).
The proposed new language in this section will create two sets of standards approved programs must satisfy to be fully approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The General Program Approval Standards will remain unchanged and continue to apply to all educator preparation programs.
The new proposed Early Literacy Program Approval regulatory language will require an additional layer of approval related to early literacy instruction and preparation program coursework.
It is undefined in the proposed language exactly which licensure programs will be impacted by this language, how the regulations align with the existing Early Literacy Program Approval Criteria or how programs will be able to “provide evidence of new teachers’ effectiveness addresses persistent disparities in achievement.”
603 CMR 28.00 Special Education
The proposed change to 603 CMR 28.00 will remove the language under the special education regulations that requires districts to screen students in early literacy skills twice per year and notify parents of the results if “significantly below the relevant benchmarks” within 30 days.
This is more of a repeal-and-replace. While this proposed amendment removes the language from the special education regulations, the proposed language under the proposed new section under 603 CMR 58.03 will continue to require twice-yearly screening and such screenings are to be expanded to include neurological disabilities, including dyslexia as well a reading ability.
603 CMR 55.00 Student Opportunity Act
As part of the Student Opportunity Act, districts are required to develop three year plans which describe how the district will address disparities in student learning and outcomes.
The proposed language is an amendment to the regulations that concern the submission of such plans under 603 CMR 55.00.
The proposed change here will require districts to include the implementation of “evidence-based programs” as determined by the commissioner. This language creates an opportunity for a district to address how evidence-base early literacy programs or other evidence-based strategies are being used in the district.
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