Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll (center) poses with Easthampton Public School district members and community members following this latest announcement in early literacy grants.
Reminder Publishing photo by Trent Levakis
EASTHAMPTON — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and State Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler visited Easthampton on Aug. 18 to announce $9.3 million in the second round of Literacy Launch grants.
Members of the Easthampton Public Schools and the community gathered inside of the Library Annex for the announcement.
This funding will come from the Partnership for Reading Success — Massachusetts, or PRISM II grants, the second round of three going out in the first year of Gov. Maura Healey’s Literacy Launch initiative.
Healey established the Literacy Launch: Reading Success from Age 3 through Grade 3 initiative to give state preschool programs, schools, educators and students better access to high-quality, evidence-based reading instruction.
“Massachusetts has the best schools in the nation, but we know more work is needed to improve literacy. A strong early literacy education is essential for students’ long-term success in school, career and beyond,” said Healey in a statement. “Through Literacy Launch, we are investing in the educators, materials and systems our youngest learners need to learn how to read and read well.”
The funding will be going to 29 state school districts to support evidence-based early literacy curriculum. Easthampton Public Schools will be receiving $274,023 through this round of funding and the only other Hampshire County community included in this round was Greenfield Public Schools, who will be receiving $95,100.
Easthampton Superintendent Michelle Balch shared her excitement for the announcement and the impact this funding is set to have on the student literacy.
“The PRISM II grant will provide Easthampton educators with hands-on support and coaching, high-quality instructional materials and expert guidance to deliver meaningful, real-world literacy learning for every student. It’s more than new books or new curriculum — it’s about ensuring every child sees themselves in what they read and makes connections to the real world,” said Balch. “We’re committed to using teaching practices and materials that are evidence-based, culturally responsive and respectful of each student’s unique background and potential. With this funding, Easthampton can provide a curriculum that inspires, empowers and truly changes the trajectory for our students. This grant isn’t just about teaching reading — it’s about creating opportunities and opening doors to the future.”
The PRISM II grants are designed to help districts strengthen early literacy instruction, helping equip students with the reading and writing skills necessary for academic success and lifelong learning.
Tutwiler said early literacy has been a growing challenge not only in the commonwealth, but also nationally, and he credited the state for its efforts addressing the issue.
“We have the research backing — the settled science — around knowing what works in early literacy, and we have the partnerships moving forward in a really progressive way and I am excited about that,” said Tutwiler. “The Healey-Driscoll administration proposed Literacy Launch to permanently transform early literacy instruction in Massachusetts. This is about giving schools and educators the tools and resources that we know work.”
In this first year, grantees will either begin implementing newly selected English language arts materials or engage in a structured curriculum evaluation and selection process. All grantees will benefit from support in establishing a representative team of educators and community members to select and implement curriculum that suits local needs, targeted professional learning for evaluating, selecting and implementing instructional materials, and expert coaching by DESE-selected PRISM curriculum and instruction coaches.
Grant funds may also be used to compensate educators for their time through stipends or substitute coverage.
“Massachusetts is number one for education and the number one public schools in the country. We’re on a mission to be number one in early literacy as well and that happens because of partnerships like this, the opportunity for the state to support what’s happening at the local level, supporting school districts in a meaningful way, and that’s what today’s really all about,” said Driscoll.
The administration awarded the first round of Literacy Launch Grants, PRISM I, earlier this year to 15 school districts and is currently hosting Literacy Launch Institutes, free four full days of evidence-based early literacy instructional practices training for 600 educators.
Funding from PRISM III, announced earlier this month, has allocated $3.3 million to 25 school districts, which Easthampton Public Schools will be receiving an additional $66,500 in funding dedicated for grades 4 and 5. Northampton and Gateway public school districts are each receiving $18,000 from that round of funding.
Funding for PRISM II is designated for children in pre-K to grade 3, and PRISM III is for grades 4-12.
For more information on this recent grant or to learn more about the literacy program, visit doe.mass.edu/instruction/prism/default.html.
