California Superintendent Tony Thurmond issued a challenge to the state\u2019s school districts last week to ensure third graders become strong readers by 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe’re asking you to take a pledge today,\u201d he said during the May 20 Zoom session, providing a link for participants to sign. Other elements of Thurmond\u2019s agenda include library cards<\/a> for 100,000 children, free access for families to ebooks and a campaign to deliver 1 million books<\/a> to children\u2019s homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. <\/em>Sign up for The 74 Newsletter<\/strong><\/a><\/p> The event followed the work of a literacy task force Thurmond created last fall. But the superintendent, who is running for reelection, was clear that as long as he\u2019s in charge, California won\u2019t follow the lead of other states \u2014 adopting a statewide literacy policy that prioritizes phonics, the connections between letter sounds and written words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are not promoting a one-size-fits-all approach in California,\u201d he said. \u201cThat’s been tried before. Our state is too large, is too diverse.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Critics dismissed Thurmond\u2019s plan to combat what they describe as a literacy crisis in the nation\u2019s most populous state. <\/p>\n\n\n\n District leaders, advocates and some lawmakers want all schools to screen for dyslexia, a learning disability, and adopt phonics-based instruction. While New York City<\/a> Mayor Eric Adams has mandated a phonics-based curriculum and Michigan lawmakers are pushing legislation<\/a> that would require dyslexia screening, California, some argue, passed up an opportunity to address long-standing achievement gaps in children\u2019s reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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