HUNTINGTON — Gateway Regional, in partnership with Farmington River Region, was one of 15 school districts and partnerships across the state to receive grants through the Partnership for Reading Success in Massachusetts (PRISM). A total of $326,477 was awarded, with $15,000 going to the Gateway partnership, according to the Jan. 27 announcement.
One of Gov. Maura Healey’s budget priorities last year, Literacy Launch: Reading Success from Age 3 through Grade 3 makes sure Massachusetts schools, educators and students have access to high-quality, evidence-based reading instruction through literacy materials, technical support, coaching and professional development.
“I’m so thrilled that Gateway will have the opportunity to work in partnership with Farmington River as a first round recipient of the Partnership for Reading Success in Massachusetts or PRISM grant. Early literacy has been a priority for us to get our earliest learners set up for success, and this grant will allow us our two small, rural districts to work together to build skills and capacity to benefit our students,” said Gateway Superintendent Kristen Smidy.
“It’s particularly exciting that the PRISM grant is meant to be a multi-year grant and will fund staff positions in all of the elementary schools in our two districts to focus on reading instruction and materials for our early learners — with many other state grants going away and rural aid not being fully funded, the resources that the PRISM grant will fund can fulfill a service that our students need to succeed,” Smidy added.
The first year of this new, multi-year strategy is supported by the fiscal year 2025 budget and the federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant. Awardees will receive professional development, support to create partnerships with community-based preschool providers to align evidence-based early curriculum, instruction and assessment across the community, and funding for early literacy screening assessments, coaching support and to cover staffing costs for roles like literacy coaches or reading specialists through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in partnership with the Department of Early Education and Care.
“The PRISM grants are designed to help districts build sustainable structures to make lasting improvements in early literacy across the commonwealth. These structures will continue supporting student success long after the grant period ends,” said Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Acting Commissioner Russell D. Johnston.
