California reading scores are up, thanks to literacy investments. Can the state do more?

California has invested over a billion dollars in literacy improvements since 2023, with a focus on coaching. CalMatters reports the state ranked forty-seventh nationally in fourth-grade reading in 2013; today it sits around the middle of the pack. The coaches—specially trained former teachers—work directly with classroom instructors to improve teaching methods. Schools that hired them saw reading scores jump roughly six points within two years. But nearly half of school districts can't find enough coaches to hire, especially in rural areas. Success stories like Tracy Elementary show what's possible—their scores jumped over ten points in two years after bringing on a literacy coach.

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