MassPotential: Is Mass. really an educational leader when reading scores lag behind Mississippi?
Massachusetts has long been considered a national leader when it comes to the quality of its public schools. But that elite ranking has started to feel increasingly hollow as the Commonwealth’s scores on standardized reading and math tests have steadily declined. And though reading and math competency is down in almost every other state as well, the Bay State is increasingly at risk of falling behind states that have moved more aggressively to stem the decline in those basic academic skills.
That has been particularly true with reading. In Massachusetts, fewer than half of public school third-graders are considered proficient readers. And though that is still higher than the national average, the literacy rate for economically disadvantaged students in Massachusetts is now virtually the same as nationwide scores — and actually lower than in some less affluent states, including Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida.
Fortunately, Governor Maura Healey and the state Legislature have belatedly taken notice of this alarming trend. This year, Healey and legislative leaders have proposed policies to bolster basic learning in public schools, including new graduation requirements that incorporate state tests on mandated courses.
Read the full opinion piece via the Boston Globe >> https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/26/opinion/mass-needs-catch-up-with-mississippi-reading-instruction/#bgmp-comments/