Gov. Deval Patrick wants all children in Massachusetts to be proficient in reading by the third grade.
The governor announced several new initiatives by his administration on Wednesday to close what is known as the achievement gap between students of various race, ethnicity and income levels.
Patrick said studies show that most students who are not proficient in reading by the third grade will continue to struggle academically in the future.
The plan includes starting a pilot kindergarten literacy program in several areas of the state with persistent achievement gaps.
The governor’s plan also calls for creating a Commonwealth Education Innovation fund to raise money for educational initiatives around the state.