What began as a pilot program in Revere Public Schools four years ago has evolved into one of the district's most successful literacy interventions, helping hundreds of students become confident readers and drawing attention from education leaders across Massachusetts.
Last week, state legislators Rep. Jessica Giannino and Sen. John Cronin, education advocates, and representatives from the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education (MBAE) visited the A.C. Whelan School to observe Ignite Reading, a high-dosage tutoring program that pairs students with trained literacy tutors for daily one-on-one instruction focused on foundational reading skills.
The visit highlighted both the program's success and the growing conversation at the State House about sustaining funding for literacy interventions that have demonstrated measurable results.
"All students can. Our job is to figure out how to help them get down that pathway," said Superintendent Dr. Dianne Kelly. “The Ignite program has significantly transformed the lives of many children in Revere.”
Ignite Reading uses science-of-reading principles to provide students with 15 minutes of individualized instruction each school day. Students work with the same tutor throughout the year, allowing them to build relationships while targeting specific literacy gaps.
The program was first piloted in Revere before expanding districtwide. According to Assistant Director of Curriculum and Instruction and Title I Director Briana Tsoupas, the district quickly recognized the impact the intervention was having on students.
"We've been lucky enough to partner with Ignite for the past four years," Tsoupas said. "It's been a wonderful addition to our multi-tiered system of supports. Every year it's been a districtwide initiative because literacy is such a priority for us."
Last year, more than 500 students across Revere Public Schools participated in Ignite Reading. This year, because state funding was spread across a significantly larger number of districts and schools, approximately 160 students are being served across the district's six schools.
Despite the reduction in available seats, educators say the results remain remarkable.
Rachel Shanley, principal of the Whelan School, said the program has had a greater impact on literacy than anything she has seen during nearly three decades in education.
"I've been in education since 1996, mostly in early childhood, and this is the biggest impact I've seen on students for reading," Shanley said. "Reading is the foundation for everything students need to succeed in life."
For Stephanie Porrazzo, Whelan's literacy coach, the program fills a critical gap that traditional classroom instruction alone cannot always address.
Porrazzo stated, "Our teachers consistently exceed expectations every day." "But when a teacher is working with a small group, there are still students who need support. Ignite has become like having a second teacher in the classroom. It's like hiring 15 extra adults to work one-on-one with students during literacy blocks."
That individualized attention, she said, allows students to receive targeted instruction while classroom teachers continue working with other groups.
The impact is visible not only in data but also in students' confidence.
"Kids in first grade love school whether they know how to read or not," Porrazzo said. "But by third grade, if you don't know how to read, you start to lose that love for school. We're trying to close those gaps early so students remain excited about learning."
First-grade teacher Alyssa Bibeau has worked with Ignite for the past three years and says the daily tutoring sessions have become seamlessly integrated into classroom instruction.
"The number of kids who can get a one-on-one individualized plan throughout the year is so helpful to their reading progress," Bibeau said. "Not only does it develop their reading skills, but it also builds strong relationships with their tutors."
Bibeau noted that Ignite often introduces literacy concepts to students before their formal classroom introduction.
"They'll say, 'We learned this in Ignite,'" she said. "It gives them confidence and makes transitions into new skills much smoother."
The long-term effects are evident in second-grade classrooms as well.
Second-grade teacher Mikayla Coyne said students who participated in Ignite as first graders arrive better prepared to access grade-level curriculum.
"The students who received those supports can access second-grade curriculum much better than they would have otherwise," Coyne said. Some students owe their success to that opportunity.
The visit also featured presentations from MBAE and Ignite Reading officials highlighting statewide literacy data and the importance of science-based reading instruction.
MBAE Executive Director Ed Lambert emphasized that while Massachusetts is often recognized nationally for education, significant literacy gaps remain.
"If students can't read by third grade, they can't learn to read," Lambert said. "This issue affects an academic career for so many students."
Lambert noted that research conducted by Johns Hopkins University found that students participating in the tutoring model gained an average of five and a half additional months of literacy growth compared to peers. Follow-up research showed that 85 percent of students who reached grade-level reading maintained those gains in the second grade without continued intervention.
In Revere, those results have been even stronger.
According to Ignite Reading officials, 95 percent of Revere students who reached benchmark reading levels in first grade maintained grade-level proficiency the following year.
Charlotte Marks, a literacy specialist with Ignite Reading, said the success reflects both the quality of instruction and the district's commitment to implementation.
Marks emphasized the importance of collaboration with the exceptional educators in this building and throughout Revere.
One recurring theme throughout the discussion was the need for continued funding.
Educators noted that reduced funding this year meant difficult decisions about which students could participate.
"Last year I had 116 seats. This year I got 26," Porrazzo said. "The impact is still profound, but there are students who could have benefited from additional support that we simply couldn't provide."
Teachers echoed that concern, noting that many students who were just below grade level could have reached benchmarks with additional tutoring opportunities.
Despite those challenges, district leaders remain optimistic about the program's future and its ability to continue changing students' lives.
For Kelly, the evidence is clear.
"It really is heartwarming to see struggling readers engage in the program and grow in their abilities," she said. "Literacy is the gateway to everything, and Ignite has helped open that door for so many of our students."
As state leaders continue to debate literacy initiatives and funding priorities, Revere's experience with Ignite Reading is increasingly viewed as a model for how targeted interventions can produce lasting academic gains—one student, one tutor, and one successful reader at a time.