CFA Partners with Massachusetts Department of Education and Secondary Education (DESE) To Win Nearly $10 Million to Advance Students’ Reading and Literacy

Funding will support over 12,400 MA students with evidence-based, high-quality tutoring over the next five years.

[February 5, 2026] The Community Funding Accelerator (CFA) in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Education and Secondary Education (DESE) have successfully won nearly $10 million dollars through the Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant from the U.S. Department of Education, part of a larger $256 million effort to improve literacy rates nationwide. Combined with previous funding, DESE’s evidenced-backed tutoring model that uses phonics-based instruction and rigorous evaluation will reach over 12,400 high-need students statewide. 

About 10,000 students in Massachusetts will already receive DESE’s high-quality tutoring through the 2025-2026 school year. This additional EIR funding will expand these efforts to support an additional 2,400 students starting in 2026-2027. Beginning in first grade and extending throughout second grade, high-need students will receive reading tutoring that uses an evidence-based teaching model that has been proven to increase literacy levels from 16% to 41% according to independent evaluations. 

“CFA is thrilled to be a part of DESE’s huge win, and help them ensure the next generation of Massachusetts leaders has the reading skills they need to thrive in their careers and lives,” said Erick Sanchez, a Community Leader at CFA. “Through effective tutoring strategies that are proven to work and an unwavering commitment to supporting young students who need it most, this funding is essential to building students’ literacy skills and fortifying their relationship to reading across their lives.”

CFA provided DESE with end-to-end support for the EIR grant application, helping to navigate eligibility, requirements, grantwriting, and map out metrics to measure progress. CFA also partnered with evaluators from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) who used their subject matter expertise in high-dosage tutoring to surface best practices, verify effectiveness, and provide input on scaling the program.   

About the Community Funding Accelerator 

The Community Funding Accelerator (CFA) helps communities win and implement public funding. With a focus on cradle-to-career education and workforce pathways, CFA identifies relevant funding opportunities, builds coalitions, and provides deep technical assistance to submit winning applications. CFA also supports implementation to create innovative education and workforce solutions in communities across the U.S. The CFA program is led by Delivery Associates, a public sector consulting firm.

About the Massachusetts Department of Education and Secondary Education

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education works with almost 400 school districts and more than 77,000 educators to serve nearly 1 million elementary and secondary education students and 20,000 adult learners every year.