Evidence-Based Early Literacy Actions to Date

State Early Literacy Investments

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While California has taken actions in recent years that are aligned with literacy policies grounded in reading research, including passing legislation to mandate early universal screenings for reading difficulties (SB 114) and strengthening literacy teaching standards for teacher preparation programs (SB 488), California’s efforts to date have been inadequate. Millions of dollars have been invested in early literacy, and yet California still ranks 33rd nationally in fourth-grade reading. Too many students in California are still not being taught with evidence-based instructional materials and not all teachers have been provided with the necessary evidence-based training to effectively teach reading, as the state lacks a cohesive implementation plan to enforce these policies, and many educators received their credentials before SB 488 passed in 2021. 

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AB 2222

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Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) introduced AB 2222 on February 7, 2024. This bill–co-authored by 16 legislators and sponsored by Decoding Dyslexia CA, EdVoice, and Families In Schools–proposed creating a clear, comprehensive and evidence-based approach to teaching elementary school students to read in California's public schools.

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In the spring of 2024, Speaker of the California State Assembly Robert Rivas and Assembly Education Committee Chair Al Muratsuchi announced that AB 2222 would not advance in the Legislature in 2024, citing budget concerns and a need for the bill to receive closer review by all stakeholders, given its size and complexity. Importantly, Speaker Rivas made a public statement re: AB 2222 not receiving a hearing that noted the critical importance of early literacy policy reform and the need to prioritize this issue in the months ahead.

AB 1121 

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Both Assemblywoman Rubio and the California Early Literacy Coalition remain committed to this cause. We are confident that continued awareness, education, and advocacy pushes will lead to the passage of early literacy reform in California's public schools. This is why, on February 20, 2025, Assemblywoman Rubio introduced a new early literacy bill (AB 1121) that  will bring evidence-based reading instruction to every elementary classroom in our state by focusing on:

1. Paid professional development in evidence-based principles for all elementary educators

2. an updated ELA/ELD instructional materials list for districts that aligns with evidence-based means of teaching reading.​

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​It is critical that we address the deep inequities around reading instruction for California’s students who identify as low-income Black and Latino, English learners, and students with disabilities. To do so, we must ensure that California’s elementary educators are better supported in evidence-based literacy instruction and that schools are better prepared to deliver on the promise of providing a foundation of future opportunities for students.