1/3 of MA 1st Graders Are Significantly Behind in Reading1
DESE Tutoring Grant Can Get Them on Track
Forty-four Massachusetts districts are already using DESE funding for Ignite Reading's daily 1:1 model, and getting results Johns Hopkins spent two years documenting.
Apply by June 8 to access 2026–27 DESE tutoring funds for your district.

Why it works
The daily 1:1 model that closes reading gaps for good

One tutor. One student. One relationship that builds a reader.
One-to-one tutoring gives every child an adult whose entire focus is on them — their specific reading gaps, their pace, and their progress.
Each lesson is calibrated to exactly where they are and exactly what they need next.
Every school day. No missed sessions. No lost ground.
Daily tutoring means students build on yesterday's progress, every single day. The kids who need the most repetition finally get it, reliably and predictably.
Skills compound, and momentum holds.
1st graders catch up and stay caught up.
A Johns Hopkins University study of 13 Massachusetts districts found 17 in 20 students2 who reached reading benchmark with daily Ignite Reading tutoring stayed that way.
Students finished 2nd grade still reading on grade level, ready to tackle 3rd grade on track.
Above average growth for every student.
Johns Hopkins researchers found all student groups achieved similar reading growth with daily intervention — 5.4 additional months of learning on average3 compared to national benchmarks.
Results were equitable for MLLs, students with IEPs, and students of all races.
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Hear From the Districts
Leading Massachusetts' Literacy Turnaround
They used DESE funding for daily 1:1 tutoring. Here's what their students gained.

Jose Escribano
Assistant Superintendent, Springfield Public Schools
"I've seen so many online tutoring programs. I was skeptical. But at the end of the meeting I said — you ever see Jerry Maguire? You had me at hello. If you're that passionate about literacy, I'm going to find the money and get you in my district.”
Lisa Lineweaver
Principal, George F. Kelly Elementary School, Chelsea
"Our graphs went from 60-some percent of students coming into 1st grade needing intensive support — and having that flip completely. I haven't seen any other intervention that can do that."
Christine Shea
Director of Assessment & Accountability, Westfield Public Schools
"Since we have been using Ignite [Reading], this jumped out right away and it has continued: Our multilingual learners grow at the same or even a better rate than the rest of our learners."
Data Sources:
- WestEd, Early Literacy Performance in Massachusetts (2025), 2023/24 screening assessment data.
- Center for Research and Reform in Education, The Johns Hopkins University; 2026
- Center for Research and Reform in Education at Johns Hopkins University, 2025; compared to national averages
