Early Literacy High-Dosage Tutoring

Reading by grade 3 opens doors to lifelong learning. Early literacy tutoring focuses on building foundational skills including phonological awareness, phonics knowledge and decoding skills to help students become independent fluent readers in the early grades.

To help all students become confident, fluent readers, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is offering two pathways for public school districts and charter schools to provide high-dosage, evidence-based early literacy tutoring, focused on grade 1.

DESE-Sponsored Early Literacy Tutoring (No Cost — Pending Funding): Eligible public school districts and charter schools may receive free tutoring services for students in first grade, with the potential for expansion to other grades.
Locally-Funded Tutoring Through DESE's Approved Provider List: Schools ready to purchase tutoring services with local funds can use DESE's Master Agreement for Approved Vendors, streamlining procurement.

DESE-sponsored Early Literacy Tutoring for Grades K–3

Subject to appropriation and associated criteria , DESE aims to partner with public school districts and charter schools to provide no-cost tutoring services. Services for first graders will be prioritized. Tutoring may be extended to additional grades if funding and availability permit. DESE is laying the groundwork now so public school districts and charter schools are ready to act quickly if funds become available, positioning schools to accelerate student learning through evidence-based support.

What is high-dosage tutoring?

The Department has approved vendors to provide high dosage tutoring that is:

Student-Centered: Using diagnostic data, tutoring partners create individualized and academic learning goals to determine instructional focus areas as well as progress monitoring to ensure that students are working on the right skills at the right time.
Evidence-Based: Students are paired with trained tutors who are invested in their learning and use instructional approaches with a track record of success.
Flexible: Depending on the content and tutoring program, there are in-person, hybrid, and virtual options during and after the school day for schools to choose from.

Who is eligible?

The Department will select districts and charter schools to receive early literacy tutoring, if appropriated, based on criteria including:

Commitment to evidence-based early literacy instruction
Demonstrated need for ELA/Literacy support

Please note, DESE may incorporate additional legislatively-required eligibility requirements into the selection process.

Districts and charter schools meeting the following criteria are eligible for early literacy tutoring services from DESE:

Uses a DESE-approved screening tool(s) in grades K–3.
Agrees to the tutor’s administration of DIBELS 8th edition to participating students (pre and posttest for 10–12 week tutoring programs and pre, mid-point, and post for full year tutoring programs).
Has completed Curriculum Data Collection for ELA/literacy, Mathematics, Science and Technology/Engineering, and History/Social Science.
Agrees to participate in research efforts, including providing student-level assessment data from the approved early literacy screening assessment that is administered in all schools during the award period.

Apply Today

Interested in bringing tutoring to your school(s)? Complete the Interest Form for 2025-26 School Year by June 30, 2025.

Please include summer contact information, as outreach will begin in summer months.

Approved Early Literacy Tutoring Providers

The tutoring providers below are included in a Master Agreement with DESE, under which LEAs may make purchases for services without needing to do their own competitive procurement. To utilize the Master Agreement, please contact Elaine.Lian@mass.gov to obtain any documentation required by your district Business Office.

Providers offer K–3 tutoring at varying costs.

Tutoring provider	Tutoring Format	When	Tutoring Model	Staffing Options	Frequency of tutoring for each participating student	Minutes per week	Length of tutoring cycle
Catapult	In-person	Before, during, or after school	Small group (3 or 4 students)	Vendor staff or vendor-trained school staff	3–5x/week	120	12 weeks
Ignite Reading	Virtual	During the school day	1:1	Consistent vendor-trained virtual tutor	5x/week	75	One seat for the school year**
OnYourMark	Virtual	During the school day	1:1	Consistent vendor-trained virtual tutor	4x/week	80	12 weeks
Springboard Collaborative	In-person	After school	Small group (5 students)	Vendor trained school staff	2–3x/week	90	10 weeks

** Note on Ignite Reading: Tutoring costs are per "seat." Once a student finishes, a new student can fill the seat at no additional cost.

Connect with Us

If you have questions, please join us for weekly office hours. Sign up here: Early Literacy Tutoring Zoom Meeting Registration .

You can also email questions to LiteracyandHumanities@mass.gov .

Last Updated: June 12, 2025