La Jolla's three public elementary schools will have to screen every kindergartner, first grader and second grader for math skills under a new state law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Senate Bill 1067, authored by state Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson, D-San Diego, requires all California school districts to begin the screenings by the 2028-29 school year. Students who fall short must receive additional support, which could include small-group tutoring or coaching for their teachers.
La Jolla Elementary on Girard Avenue, Bird Rock Elementary and Torrey Pines Elementary are the local campuses directly affected. All three are part of San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD), which already uses iReady math assessments in kindergarten through second grade, according to a district spokesperson quoted by KPBS. Districts that already run their own screenings may continue using them if they meet state criteria.
Statewide, only about 37% of students scored proficient or above in math on the most recent state assessments, according to inewsource. In San Diego County, fewer than half of students perform at grade level, and the figure drops below 30% for socioeconomically disadvantaged students, KPBS reported.
SDUSD's own numbers are trending upward. The district's math indicator on the 2025 California School Dashboard improved to 19.1 points below standard, up 4.5 points from 23.6 below standard in 2024, according to district data. SDUSD leads large urban districts statewide in five dashboard categories, including math.
Foster youth and long-term English learners in the district continue to face persistent challenges in the subject.
Weber Pierson, who represents District 39, told the state Senate's education committee in April, as KPBS reported, that the law "will help identify students who are having challenges in math early and connect students with timely, evidence-based support before they fall behind." She has also cited the rising need for remedial math courses at UC San Diego as context for the bill.
The bill passed the state Senate unanimously and cleared the Assembly 71-0. EdVoice, a nonprofit education advocacy organization, sponsored the measure.
Not everyone backed it. The California Teachers Association (CTA), the Association of California School Administrators and the California Mathematics Council opposed the bill. They argued in an Aug. 12 letter that the screening mandate is premature because the state has not invested in teacher training or additional student support, EdSource reported.
The law does not include new funding. The Assembly Appropriations Committee estimated that tutoring and other support could cost schools tens of millions of dollars annually statewide. A committee analysis noted much of that cost could be offset by $4.4 billion in the most recent state budget earmarked for student support and professional development.
The law is a companion to a 2023 initiative requiring K-2 dyslexia screening. The California Department of Education (CDE) must now develop a list of approved math assessments, including options for English learners. Schools will also be required to notify parents of their children's screening results.
No timeline for the CDE's approved-test list has been announced.
