State Senator Proposes Math Screening Bill Following California's Reading Reform Success

A San Diego state senator has introduced legislation requiring California school districts to screen elementary students for math difficulties, building on last year’s reading reform efforts that addressed the state’s struggling academic performance.

State Sen. Dr. Akilah Weber Pierson introduced Senate Bill 1067, which would mandate local school districts screen primary school students for math skill deficiencies as part of a broader push to improve instruction statewide, according to EdSource, an education website that first reported the proposal.

“California is facing a real and urgent math achievement crisis, and we cannot afford to wait until students are already far behind to act,” Weber Pierson told EdSource. “We know the achievement gap in math is evident as early as kindergarten. We also know that students who miss foundational math skills in grades K through 2 rarely catch up.”

The proposal follows California’s 2024 reading reform legislation, Assembly Bill 1454, which the Legislature passed and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed after decades of debate over teaching methods. That bill requires the state to provide phonics-based training for teachers and instructional materials, though it stops short of mandating specific teaching approaches.

California’s academic performance data reveals significant challenges in both reading and mathematics. The state’s fourth-graders ranked 37th nationally in reading comprehension on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, with just 29% showing proficiency - a two percentage point decline from 2022. Math performance shows similar struggles, with only 39% of fourth graders demonstrating proficiency.

Weber Pierson’s bill draws inspiration from successful reforms in other states, particularly Alabama’s approach to math education, which began with student screening to identify those at risk of failure. Mississippi’s reading improvement efforts have also served as a model for other states seeking educational reform.

Under SB 1067, the state Board of Education would appoint a panel to develop screening instruments, leading to statewide adoption of assessment tools. “Screening is the right first step because you cannot effectively address a problem you have not identified,” Weber Pierson told EdSource.

The senator brings a family legacy of education advocacy to the effort. Her mother, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, championed education reform during her legislative tenure, often challenging the state’s education establishment and the California Teachers Association. The elder Weber, who grew up as a sharecropper’s daughter in segregated Arkansas, moved to California with her family in 1951, earned a doctorate and taught at the college level before entering politics.

“I don’t fear that I’m going to get lynched at night or that someone is going to bomb my house. I don’t fear that,” Shirley Weber told CalMatters in a 2017 profile, reflecting on her advocacy work. “What my predecessors stood for and fought for was a whole lot harder than what I’m fighting for today.”

The math screening proposal has backing from education reformers who supported the phonics legislation, suggesting potential for bipartisan support. The reading reform bill gained traction when California’s poor performance became impossible to ignore, despite opposition from educators attached to alternative teaching methods.

Education experts argue that reading comprehension serves as the foundation for all other learning, potentially explaining California’s struggles across multiple subjects. The state’s low reading levels may contribute to equally concerning mathematics performance, making comprehensive reform efforts increasingly urgent.

Weber Pierson’s legislation represents a systematic approach to addressing educational deficiencies, moving beyond what critics describe as scattered reform efforts. The screening requirement would provide data to guide targeted interventions for students struggling with foundational math concepts in the critical early elementary years.

The bill joins a growing movement among states to confront educational shortcomings through evidence-based approaches, particularly in fundamental skills areas where early intervention can prevent long-term academic struggles.