MTA sees better options for supporting literacy education
MTA sees better options for supporting literacy education
Bills before the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Education addressing the teaching of literacy are well intentioned but ineffective for meeting the goal of strengthening students’ reading and literacy skills, and the Massachusetts Teachers Association opposed them at a hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 16.
“There is no question we can be doing more to support reading education and literacy – especially for students who are struggling. But the bills under consideration fall far short of what educators and experts say is needed to make substantive change. Our students and families deserve more than feel-good measures that do not provide the funding and resources needed to really help students succeed,” said MTA President Max Page. “The Legislature has access to revenue from the Fair Share Amendment to continue making meaningful investments in reading education.”.
Page and MTA Vice President Deb McCarthy, who taught elementary school for 25 years before becoming an elected union leader, testified in opposition to S.338, An Act promoting high-quality comprehensive literacy instruction in all Massachusetts schools and H.698, An Act to promote high-quality early literacy instruction and improve student outcome as well as H.669, An Act relative to teacher preparation and student literacy.
The MTA’s objections are rooted in the narrow focus of the bills. MTA members instead are advocating for the state to support districts in hiring more reading teachers and specialists, adding more librarians, and having more tutoring available to students identified as needing reading support.
“Teaching children how to read requires the right combination of skills and resources plus the proper levels of staffing in classrooms and libraries. The legislation under consideration will limit educators from exercising professional judgement and ultimately deny some students the benefits of best practices if we restrict what educators can do. The legislation also has no mechanism for making sure our schools have the staff they need to meet the needs of students,” McCarthy said.
MTA members are advocating for the state to support districts in hiring more reading teachers and specialists, adding more librarians, and having more tutoring available to students identified as needing reading support.
Reading teachers and other staff that support literacy education have been reduced in many districts, according to data from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education..
MTA has supported much of the state’s Literacy Launch initiative and urges any additional policy to build on the knowledge educators bring to the classroom every day.
In addition to MTA leaders, several members with backgrounds in reading instruction oppose these bills. Researchers from around the country testified about the hazards of limiting schools to using so-called “evidence-based curriculum.”
“Children learn to read more efficiently and effectively when their teachers are knowledgeable decision makers, fully informed about reading as a language process,” said Rick Meyer, a literacy researcher from the University of Arizona. “I urge legislators to watch real children in real classrooms and get help from teachers and researchers in understanding what you see so you can unpack your assumptions.”