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It’s Halloween! The weather may not compare to last year, but the skies should stay clear for trick-or-treating. Just bundle up, and remember to drive safe. Now, while you wait for Boston University’s annual pumpkin drop to begin, let’s get to the news:
Hitting the books: Often, when Beacon Hill lawmakers pass something unanimously, it indicates there’s little pushback against the legislation. But not this week. On Wednesday, the Massachusetts House passed a sweeping early literacy reform bill by a vote of 155-0, despite opposition from the state’s largest teacher’s union. As the legislation moves to the Senate, here’s what to know about the debate:
- The backdrop: Beacon Hill leaders said the bill is needed to combat “troubling trends” in reading. While a report earlier this year found that Massachusetts schoolchildren lead the nation in reading, scores still lag behind pre-pandemic levels. The latest MCAS results show that nearly 60% of students in grades 3 through 8 are not meeting English language arts expectations.
- What’s in the bill: Supporters say about a third of Massachusetts school districts are using outdated reading instruction techniques. The bill would push them to adopt “evidence-based” methods. It’s part of a larger “science of reading” movement that focuses on things like sounding out words (aka phonics), reading comprehension and fluency — as opposed to “three-cueing,” a controversial method many states are moving away from. (NPR has more here on what makes the “science of reading” different.) If passed, the House’s bill would give the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education the power to set K-3 reading curricula based on that framework. It would also require DESE to provide online materials and free training to help teachers adapt to the new methods.
- On the other hand: Max Page, the president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, told WBUR’s Cici Yu that his members have big concerns about limiting the tools they can use “to address the needs of a very diverse student body.” Page said some reading specialists say three-cueing — which uses photos and sentence structure to help students identify words they don’t know — can be helpful for certain kinds of learners. And he argued that the “science of reading” movement has yet to shift outcomes in every state (though some have made progress). The state’s second-largest teachers union, AFT Massachusetts, didn’t take a stance on the bill, according to its president, Jessica Tang. But it did push for several small changes, like a successful amendment to loosen a full ban on three-cueing. Page also applauded that change, but added: “We still have a real issue with having a very strict mandate on what kind of curriculum to use.”
- What’s next: Page and Tang plan to press for further changes to give individual districts more leeway, as the bill moves to the Senate. A spokesperson for Senate President Karen Spilka said their chamber plans to review the bill and that “members are very much engaged in improving literacy outcomes.”
The latest on SNAP: All eyes are on a federal judge in Boston, as a potential shutoff of SNAP benefits loom tomorrow. As NPR reports, Judge Indira Talwani indicated yesterday that she’s leaning toward taking steps to keep the benefits flowing, after Democratic states sued to stop the Trump administration from cutting off the food stamp program amid the government shutdown. Talwani pointed to the emergency fund created by Congress that the Trump administration could tap. “It’s really clear to me that what Congress was trying to do was protect the American people,” she said.
- Trump administration officials say the fund’s $5.5 billion falls short of the $9 billion needed to fully cover the whole month of November — and that recalculating benefits and potential partial payments could take weeks. So even if Talwani sides with the states, there could be a delay in benefits for millions.
- Meanwhile: Unlike some New England neighbors, Gov. Maura Healey reiterated yesterday that Massachusetts will not use state money to temporarily backfill SNAP benefits. But the state will double its payments this month to food banks.
On the campaign trail: Two state reps are now running for the Massachusetts Senate seat held by the late state Sen. Ed Kennedy. State Rep. Vanna Howard announced her campaign yesterday, joining state Rep. Rodney Elliot, a fellow Lowell Democrat.
- The Senate district includes Lowell, as well as Dracut, Dunstable, Pepperell and Tyngsborough. The primary in the special election race is scheduled for Feb. 2, with the general election set exactly one month later on March 3.
Heads up: Today is the last day of the weeklong closure of the Green Line’s D branch, but another short MBTA diversion begins tomorrow. Orange Line service from Forest Hills all the way up North Station will be suspended both Saturday and Sunday.
- Free shuttles will sub in from Forest Hills to Back Bay, with an extra stop at Copley so riders can take the Green Line to North Station. More details here.
Reminder: Today is also the last day of in-person early voting in Boston and other local communities holding municipal elections this fall. Here’s a map of Boston’s early voting locations. For other communities, check your city or town website.
- PSA: Double-check before trying to return a mail-in ballot to a drop box today. As in years past, some cities — including Boston — are closing drop boxes on Halloween today to be safe in case of potential vandalism.
P.S.— What new job-related law took effect this week in Massachusetts? Take our Boston News Quiz and test your knowledge of our recent stories.
