Golden State Today

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond made a historic push for results-proven training in literacy and math as the sponsor of Senate Bill (SB) 1115. Thurmond testified in the Senate Education Committee about the urgent need for improved student outcomes across the state. The committee passed the bill after Thurmond’s testimony, and it is now headed to the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 6.

Thurmond emphasized the importance of providing evidence-backed educator training, stating, "This is an issue of moral clarity.” He highlighted the inadequacy of current efforts to fund educator training in literacy and math, which only cover one-third of California’s educator workforce. SB 1115 aims to fund the remaining two-thirds to ensure all teachers are equipped with effective teaching strategies.

The bill includes support for various research-backed methods, including phonics and language development strategies aligned with the California ELA/ELD Framework. Thurmond stressed the significance of ensuring that every child has the opportunity to read by the third grade, emphasizing, “Every child should feel supported as they learn to read, and every teacher should feel confident in their ability to support students’ foundational literacy."

Thurmond's literacy efforts align with the goal of ensuring that students achieve proficiency in reading by the third grade. The initiative also aims to address the concerning statistic from the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, which reports that 70 percent of incarcerated adults are struggling readers or illiterate.

Individuals interested in learning more about Thurmond’s literacy initiatives and the campaign to ensure students learn to read by the third grade can reach out via email at statewideliteracycampaign@cde.ca.gov.