Math tests in kindergarten? California may require them

Confronted with math test scores showing that 68% of California public school third-graders do not meet grade-level standards, state lawmakers are considering one way to potentially reverse the trend: Give kindergartners a math test to find out if they are ready for the rigors of first grade.

- By CIERRA MORGAN

JASON ARMOND Los Angeles Times

GIANNA Lopez and classmates do math at Laurel Elementary in Compton.

Do they have a sense of what numbers mean? Can they group items? Can they compare quantities? Do they know the difference between a square and a circle?

By discovering what the state’s youngest students know about early, foundational math concepts, teachers can better target weaknesses before their skills sink, said supporters of the early tests.

Senate Bill 1067, authored by state Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-La Mesa), will require every public school to assess students in kindergarten through second grade for early math difficulties and provide additional support to those who are struggling.

The law aims to address sobering data. California ranks 43rd in the country in fourth-grade math achievement. Only about 38% of public school students test at or above grade level when testing begins in third grade. Early scores are the start of a steady decline in standardized math assessments through high school.

The bill passed the California Senate unanimously in May and the Assembly Committee on Education on Wednesday.

“When you have 37% at grade level, that is a failure, and we have to take ownership of that, and we have to do better,” Pierson said Wednesday.

She explained that the measure is “not a high stakes testing bill.” School districts will continue to use their own assessment tools, and the bill does not dictate curriculum, instructional practices or intervention models.

“It simply provides educators and families with timely information, so that students who need support do not fall through the cracks.”

The bill passed with amendments to ensure that parents receive clear information about their child’s results and whether additional support is necessary.