Assembly Bill 1454 marks a turning point in California in a long-running debate over how to teach kids to read.
For decades, educators have been teaching students to recognize words visually. But researchers now say it’s more effective to have kids sound words out rather than memorize them — they call it the “Science of Reading.”
This law will give teachers more training and update the state’s list of approved textbooks and materials — all to prioritize a phonics-based approach.
And the stakes are high. More than half of third graders in California can’t read at grade level.
Previous versions of this bill failed due to opposition, including from California’s largest teachers union, which wanted to make sure teachers had flexibility in their classrooms. Others had concerns about phonics’ effectiveness for English language learners.
But this time around, the bill passed the state Senate unanimously. In part because it includes carve-outs for English language learners and also because it doesn’t make phonics instruction mandatory. Teachers will still be able to decide what works best for their students.
