MassPotential: Senate and House aligning on evidence-based reading instruction
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, Jan. 21, 2026…..The Senate will take up its own version of a House-approved early literacy reform bill next week, increasing the likelihood that a new law could emerge in 2026 addressing the controversial question of how reading should be taught in schools.
The House passed its bill (H 4683) in October, advancing a sweeping effort to regulate early reading instruction amid what top lawmakers describe as a growing literacy crisis. A growing number of states have reshaped early literacy education around the “science of reading,” a research base emphasizing explicit, systematic phonics instruction.
Senate President Karen Spilka announced the Senate’s move Wednesday morning in a Substack post, saying the Senate Ways and Means Committee will release its version of the bill Thursday, with floor debate expected on Thursday, Jan. 29. While she did not outline specific provisions, Spilka said the Senate bill will largely track the House’s approach in an effort to deliver a final bill to Gov. Maura Healey quickly.
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