US Politics
The Battle for Literacy in California: A Triumph of Investment, A Test of Equity
California has invested billions, including $500 million in 2023, to reform literacy instruction through phonics-based methods and reading coaches, leading to measurable but uneven improvements in student reading scores. It is a powerful testament to the principle that investing in foundational education is investing in liberty, yet the tragic shortage of qualified coaches in rural areas is an unjust barrier preventing children from accessing their birthright of knowledge and opportunity.
