Walters: California’s reading reforms drive push for better math skills in early grades

Last year, after decades of often bitter debate, California took an important step toward raising the abysmal levels of reading ability among many of its public school students.

The Legislature passed and Gov. Gavin Newsom — who struggles with dyslexia — signed legislation that encourages phonics when teaching reading to elementary school students.

It stopped short of a phonics mandate, which would have been fully justified, to temper opposition from educators still clinging to discredited methods...