Literacy and Language Development

Gov. Newsom signs bill to revamp reading instruction in California.

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1454 into law, a bipartisan bill that mandates the "science of reading" approach in early education across the state. Signed on October 9, 2025, the law standardizes reading curriculum to ensure explicit and systematic phonics instruction and other evidence-based methods in order to improve early literacy rates. The bill is part of California's broader Golden State Literacy Plan. 

Why is the new Bill significant?

AB1454 is a significant shift away from the "whole language" method that California previously favored, which focuse on immersion and memorization.  By mandating phonics-based instruction in the development of foundational skills literacy learning, California joins a national movement to adopt a "science of reading" approach that has seen significant improvements in reading scores across the nation.  Education advocates have noted that the bill's unanimous passage is a rare bipartisian achievement in education policy.

Want to know more?  Read on!

• Gov. Gavin Newsom’s approval of Assembly Bill 1454 marks the culmination of a five-year campaign to change how California children are taught to read. Read full EdSource Article here.

• Summary of Assembly Bill 1454 main points

What is a Universal Screener?

A universal screener can be compaed to a quick checkup or a snapshot that the school gives to every student to see how they are doing in key areas, such as reading, math, or even their social and emotional well-being.  The state-required screener focuses on reading.

It's not about diagnosing problems in detail.  Instead, it's about casting a wide net to quickly identify which students may be at risk of future reading difficulty if we do not intervene with apropriate support and instruciton now, or even those who might benefit from more challenging work.

Why do schools use it?

• Early Warning System: Screening helps catch potential reading concerns early on, before they get too big and hard to fix.
• Equity and Fairness: It helps ensure that all students get a fair chance to be assessed and considered for support, not just those who are obviously struggling or who get referred by a teacher.
• Better Instruction for Everyone:  It can reveal whether a lot of students are struggling with a particular skill or topic, which can then inform teachers and help them adjust their teaching methods to better support everyone in the class.
• Targeted Support: When a student is identified as needing extra help, the school can then provide targeted support and interventions specifically designed to address specific and individual needs, rather than a generic approach.

In short, a universal screener helps schools be proactive and efficient in identifying student needs and ensuring that every child gets the support they require to learn, grow, and be successful.