California's elementary schools have been failing to teach reading effectively, with nearly 60% of third graders scoring below grade level over the last decade. This issue particularly affects lower-income Black and Latino students. A conflict arose between educators and advocates regarding reading instruction, specifically phonics, which had fallen out of favor but is now being reevaluated. The California Assembly recently passed a bill to adopt a phonics-based literacy approach, aligning with trends in over 40 states, potentially signaling progress for the state's struggling reading scores.
Nearly 6 in 10 third graders scored below grade level on California's reading tests during most of the last decade. This includes about three quarters of lower-income Black or Latino students.
California ranked 40th last year in fourth grade reading on national tests. For Black fourth-graders, California tied for last place with only 7% proficient.
#california-education #reading-proficiency #phonics-instruction #equity-in-education #literacy-rates
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