Announcing the 2025 student achievement results at the Alexander Science Center School in Los Angeles, Gov. Gavin Newsom said, “Things are getting better … but we’re not satisfied.” California has made progress — but not enough.
Since 2022, third-grade reading proficiency has grown by less than 1 percent a year, in line with most states across the nation.
To meet the demands of the next decade, that pace must quicken. Economists at Georgetown University project that 7 in 10 California jobs will soon require some college. To prepare our students for that future, achievement needs to rise three to 4 percent a year — not 1. Proof that this can be done exists.
In research published earlier this summer, my colleagues and I identified 260 school districts where early reading proficiency rose three to four points a year for three straight years. What are they doing that California districts might learn from?
We looked closely at three very different systems: Marietta City (a midsize district in metro Atlanta); Allegany County, Maryland (an Appalachian small town); and DC Prep, a K–8 public charter network in Washington, D.C. Here are a few things we found:
Start with the problem, not a vision. Leaders in these systems did not begin by writing a vision statement. They asked a harder question: “What is our most important problem, and how do we solve it?” Their answer: through no fault of their own, many teachers had not been prepared in the full range of evidence‑based reading instruction.
Build teacher knowledge deeply and over time. Each system then launched multiyear professional learning for all elementary teachers. Marietta used Top Ten Tools (short courses on core elements of literacy) and then added a year of The Writing Revolution to strengthen expository writing. Allegany began a two‑year, districtwide engagement with LETRS, covering phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Make more time for literacy — and protect it. DC Prep extended its literacy block to 1 hour, 45 minutes, and added a second adult in the room to give targeted help at students’ desks rather than pulling them out. Allegany set two hours for whole‑class literacy plus 30 minutes for small‑group intervention and enrichment. Marietta redesigned its day so students now receive roughly two to three hours of literacy daily: about 90 minutes of whole‑class reading that weaves in grade‑level science and social studies texts; 20-30 minutes of explicit phonics and word study; and 30-60 minutes of small‑group work.
Staff to the task. Marietta hired reading specialists across eight schools to work with small groups of about 10 students. Allegany redefined the literacy coach role to provide more direct, classroom‑level feedback. DC Prep converted an assistant principal position into a full‑time instructional coach.
Use real books in a great curriculum. Both Marietta and Allegany upgraded their K–5 ELA programs. Marietta moved away from leveled books that students could already read and adopted Wit & Wisdom alongside a dedicated foundational‑skills block. Allegany replaced Treasure Island with Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA). Independent reviewers rate both highly, and they are designed to build broad background knowledge with grade‑level texts in history, science, literature, and the arts.
The newly signed Assembly Bill 1454 will thrive or stall on how well the state guides districts to adopt new literacy materials. Top priority should go to programs like CKLA, Bookworms and EL Education, the ones with the strongest evidence of learning gains. Louisiana, the only state to fully recover from pandemic-era literacy losses, shows what’s possible when teachers get extended time to learn and practice the new curriculum.
Tighten assessments — and the response. These systems protected daily phonics time, but they also trained teachers to diagnose problems precisely, because not every reading difficulty is a phonics problem. Short, regular checks inform who needs which types of support, and when.
In California, Sanger and Compton Unified were among the bright spots the governor highlighted, but so too are Downey and Fontana Unified in San Bernardino County. The new data shows a total of 34 districts, a third of them in rural communities, have made steady gains of three points or more over the last four years. These are promising candidates for deeper study and support.
The “what” is increasingly clear: sustained professional learning; more time with grade-level texts and whole novels; coaching that strengthens lesson planning and practice; and diagnostic tools that shape instruction. What district leaders need next is the how — how to schedule the day, develop effective coaches, extend professional learning, and improve teaching in classrooms.
If California districts steadily climb 3 to 4 points a year — the state’s aspirations for opportunity and growth become far more than a slogan.
David Wakelyn is a partner at Upswing Labs, which researches efforts to improve literacy achievement. He previously taught middle school English in Inglewood, California, and served as deputy secretary of education in New York.
