Staff Reports
California just released the 2025–26 statewide test results and the 2026 California School Dashboard. The state likes to call the numbers “modest progress.” Parents and taxpayers should call them what they are: a warning sign. Big tech money and high taxes haven’t translated into basic reading and math skills for most kids.
What the CAASPP and Dashboard actually show
The California Department of Education published the CAASPP (Smarter Balanced) results together with the Dashboard. The topline: math up about 1 percentage point, English language arts up about 0.5 points. That sounds tidy until you remember the real numbers — only about 38.4% of students met or exceeded math standards and roughly 49.3% met or exceeded English standards. In plain English: more than half of our students aren’t hitting the bar the state set for them.
Why these numbers matter for California’s future
This is not a minor policy glitch. When children can’t read or do basic math, it ripples through the economy, public safety, and social mobility. The state’s officials — including State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and the State Board leadership — have said the gains show “continued progress,” which is bureaucrat-speak for “slow and uneven.” The truth is the pandemic lockdowns and school closures set back a generation, and the recovery has been sluggish. Meanwhile, the teachers’ unions resisted reopening in many places and continue to block reforms that could speed up learning recovery.
Fixes California should demand now
Let’s stop pretending small upticks are a win and start acting like adults. California needs clear accountability, more reading and math tutoring, expanded school choice, and fast-track help for struggling schools. Fund programs that actually work — phonics-based literacy, targeted math interventions, summer catch-up programs — not just glossy reports. Parents who left public schools for private or homeschooling didn’t do it for fun; they did it because the system wasn’t delivering. Politicians must stop writing press releases and start writing plans that move the needle faster than a fraction of a percent per year.
California can do better. It has the resources, the talent, and the opportunity. What it lacks is the political will to break the status quo. If state officials keep celebrating tiny gains while most kids fall behind, that will be the real scandal — and the bill for it will come due for the next generation.
