“As educators, we fully support evidence-based literacy curriculum. We also know that it will take more than just curriculum for our students to fully thrive as they progress from learning to read to reading to learn.

“Teaching students to read is one of the most important things we do. Literacy skills are foundational skills - ones that are crucial to supporting student development and long-term success.  It is important that our school districts also have the support, resources, and staffing they need to successfully implement curriculum and instruction. 

“The needs of our students vary from district to district, from school to school, even from desk to desk. Strong literacy instruction is responsive to the unique learning needs of individual students, which can be complex. The bill the Senate passed today underscores components of high quality curriculum while allowing educators to use the tools currently being utilized in the classroom that are proven to be impactful, particularly with our English language learners and students with special needs.

AFT Massachusetts joined Governor Maura Healey today as she unveiled an Executive Order to protect Massachusetts residents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers who continue to operate with unchecked authority fulfilling the immigration agenda of the White House.

“Masked ICE agents have been raiding communities across the Commonwealth for months, ignoring the Constitution and our basic human rights. Immigrant families are gripped by fear,” said American Federation of Teachers President Jessica Tang. “Children cannot learn if they don't feel safe. These threats take an emotional, psychological, and physical toll on our children and their families.”

“Educators are going above and beyond to try to reassure students and families that schools and their surroundings are the safe spaces they are supposed to be,” continued Tang, who was present at today’s announcement. “But that message rings hollow when parents are detained on the way to dropping their child off at school or when students who are here legally are detained and sent out of state. Children fear when they walk out the door, their family might not be there when they return.”

“Rising costs coupled with drastic cuts to services have made the state’s already high cost of living untenable for most working families across the state. We are living in an economy that does not work for working families.

“The cost for many local school districts to ensure every child has a free and equal public education outpaces state investment. Districts are now teetering at the edge of a fiscal cliff.

“We know this is just the first step in the budget process and see hopeful signs in this budget to address the significant fiscal challenges our communities are facing. But we also know that this must be the baseline to build on because failing to safeguard our communities now allows temporary cuts to become permanent damage, which would be catastrophic for some of our largest, poorest, and neediest communities.

“If Massachusetts wants to remain first in the nation for education and is truly dedicated to protecting our students and the knowledge-based economy our state relies on, we must see a larger level of investment, one that takes into account the true fiscal realities our districts, public libraries, and universities are facing.” 

“There are components of this report that we can all agree on, including areas that we have been and will continue to advocate for, including: accessibility to key academic courses, college and career planning, and attention to different types of learners.

“This preliminary report is just that—a starting point for discussion. We aren’t at the stage of endorsement or opposition.

“Whether or not the educators we represent can fully endorse this plan will depend on the final product.

“There are a number of outstanding questions that must be addressed, including those around the implementation process, the resources schools will need to support this new framework, and a clear understanding of exactly what will be required of our students and how their work will be measured."