California Approves 31 Teacher Training Programs for Early

California's State Board of Education has approved 31 training programs for elementary school teachers in early literacy instruction. The approval makes districts eligible for a share of $200 million allocated in last year's state budget for this professional development.

Governor Gavin Newsom included the funding as part of a package of early literacy reforms. The board approved the list on Wednesday, weeding out a half-dozen of the lowest-ranked programs from the initial applicants. Board member Haydee Rodriguez, a high school teacher, noted districts are overwhelmed and said providing as much guidance as possible would be helpful.

Longtime observers said this marks the first time in memory the State Board has recommended specific professional development programs. The move reflects a state-level recognition that weak teacher training could undermine broader literacy reforms, a lesson drawn from improvements seen in states like Mississippi.

The Approved Training Providers

The California Department of Education hired the nonprofit WestEd to lead a review of 37 eligible training providers. A panel of 29 teachers and experts scored each on 18 criteria, using a three-point scale of strong, moderate, or minimal. The maximum possible score was 54 points.

The scores for the 31 approved programs ranged from 30 to 53 points. The two top-ranked providers were the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) and SchoolKit, LLC, each receiving strong ratings on 17 of the 18 criteria. Notably, CABE had previously been a strong opponent of comprehensive early literacy legislation over concerns for English learners.

The lowest-ranking program on the approved list was from the national ed tech company Amplify Education.

Advocacy Pushback and State Guidance

Early literacy advocacy groups that pressed for legislation promoting the science of reading favored a shorter list of higher-scoring programs. Yolie Flores, CEO of Families in Schools, criticized the "come-one, come-all approach," arguing it does not help districts distinguish top quality. Molly Maloney of Oakland-based GO Public Schools pointed out that rubric scores show some programs have minimal evidence in critical areas.

Nonprofit organizations including EdVoice and Children Now had recommended a shorter list of 17 programs with the highest ratings or strong evidence of improving learning. Demonstrating effectiveness was an optional factor in the review, not a core criterion, because some programs were too new to submit data.

Board member Alison Yoshimoto-Towery, a former chief academic officer of Los Angeles Unified, urged clarity for districts. "My belief is that we're putting the list of what's most aligned to the criteria, not most aligned to showing student outcomes." she said.

Next Steps for Districts and the State

Districts can still receive state funding if they select a training program not on the approved list of 31, but they must verify the program aligns with criteria based on the science of reading. The board directed the Department of Education to provide easily accessible and detailed information on each approved program to aid district selection.

Board President Linda Darling-Hammond said all evaluation materials will be available online, enabling users to compare programs like a Consumer Report. Marshall Tuck, CEO of EdVoice, said he was encouraged by the board's discussion and its directive for strong guidance.

The next stage will occur later this year when the State Board approves a new list of reading textbooks and materials aligned with standards for English learners. The board must decide whether to approve a wide array of options, as it did with math textbooks, or be more selective in highlighting materials that emphasize phonics and the science of reading.