Walters: California's reading reforms drive push for better math skills in early grades
California passed legislation requiring phonics-based reading instruction and teacher training to address critically low student reading proficiency rates, with proposed similar measures for mathematics achievement.
American student achievement declined sharply since about 2013, with rising reading failure and low standardized-test scores linked to lower standards and digital distractions.
Has California turned the page on its reading crisis?
The best way to teach kids how to read has been widely debated in the Golden State, leading to a long-standing literacy crisis among California students.