HOLYOKE — Holyoke Public Schools are getting some help in the reading department.
According to an announcement from the Healey-Driscoll administration, the district will receive a $616,650 grant to help improve early literacy programming for PreK to grade 3 students.
The money is part of nearly $24.7 million that the administration awarded to 71 school districts and one educational collaborative to strengthen literacy instruction and improve reading outcomes for students across Massachusetts.
Through four Partnership for Reading Success-Massachusetts grant programs, districts will “implement high-quality instructional materials, expand professional learning for educators and strengthen evidence-based literacy instruction from pre-kindergarten through grade 12.”
The PRISM I grant, which is what Holyoke received, supports districts and community-based partners in implementing and sustaining an evidence-based, culturally and linguistically sustaining multi-tiered system of support in grades PreK-3.
The grant is designed to continue helping a cohort of districts improve their early literacy programming so that all students can read at or above grade level by third grade.
Holyoke Public Schools was first awarded the PRISM I grant in spring 2025 and subsequently received a continuation grant for the 2025-2026 school year. The $616,650 for the 2026-27 year is a continuation of that work.
Holyoke Public Schools Chief of Academics Rebecca Thompson said the continued investment will support the district’s ongoing efforts to strengthen and sustain an evidence-based early literacy model to ensure that all students achieve strong reading outcomes.
The grant allows HPS to build on the foundation they have established, according to Thompson. The funding will support targeted professional learning for teachers, instructional materials and high-dosage one-on-one tutoring for students. The district will continue using walkthrough and student learning data to monitor the impact of the action plan and make adjustments as needed.
The grant will also support the continuation of the PRISM Leadership Team, helping Holyoke Public Schools maintain alignment across schools, roles and community partners.
Thompson and Associate Director of Early Literacy Caitlin Rosazza explained that the ultimate goal of the PRISM I grant is to have 80% of students meeting or exceeding reading benchmarks by 2029, while reducing achievement disparities across language status, disability status and race/ethnicity.
The grant supports stronger vertical alignment from PreK to grade 3, ensuring that students experience consistent, evidence-based literacy instruction to build a strong foundation in early reading, they said.
“These foundational skills are critical to students’ continued academic success,” Thompson said. “We are incredibly proud of the early literacy work that we have done in Holyoke for the past five years, in alignment with our strategic plan. We were thrilled to be awarded this prestigious grant for a third year, alongside 12 other districts across the state.”
The PRISM I continuation grant will be presented to the School Committee for approval on Aug. 24, after which the award will likely be formally accepted.
According to the state, the PRISM I grant is a part of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Literacy Launch, which promotes literacy success for all students across the commonwealth.
The awards build on Gov. Maura Healey’s Literacy Launch initiative and legislation she signed to strengthen early literacy instruction. They also come as more than 1,000 educators are participating in Literacy Launch institutes this summer to deepen their knowledge of evidence-based reading instruction.
“Reading is the foundation for everything students do in school and throughout their lives,” Healey said. “That’s why we’re making historic investments to strengthen literacy instruction, support educators and help every student build the skills they need to succeed.”
