Students go over details together during a summer geometry course at San Francisco’s Galileo High on July 17, 2023.

For generations, we have let ourselves believe a damaging myth: that some people are simply “math people,” and some are not. But math ability isn’t a personality trait. It is a skill, and like other essential skills, it can be taught, practiced and strengthened — especially when children get the right foundation early.

For California, that matters not only for the success of our kids in school, but for the state’s economic future.

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In a rapidly changing economy shaped by data, automation and artificial intelligence, everyone needs to be a “math person” — not just scientists, engineers or financiers. This does not mean everyone needs Advanced Placement calculus-level skills. But everyone does need a strong foundation in quantitative reasoning, problem-solving, pattern recognition and estimation. In the workplace, those skills help electricians read schematics, nurses verify dosages, mechanics interpret diagnostic data, construction workers measure angles and restaurant managers track sales and costs.

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The rise of AI does not make math less important. It makes early math proficiency more important than ever.

AI can generate answers, but it cannot fully replace the human judgment needed to interpret and apply them. Across sectors, employees will increasingly be expected to interpret probabilities, spot errors, weigh trade-offs and adjust for real-world conditions.

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Yet, California is falling short in building a solid math foundation for far too many children.

Despite leading the world in innovation, California ranks 43rd in the nation in fourth-grade math test scores. Just 37% of our students are meeting grade-level standards in math. For low-income students, that figure drops to 26%. For Black students, it is just 20%. These numbers are more than disappointing; they are a warning sign that too many young Californians are being denied future opportunities before they even graduate from high school.

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Educational inequities begin early. Children do not all arrive at school with the same exposure to early math concepts such as counting, recognizing quantities, comparing amounts or talking about time and money. Some have had many opportunities to start building these skills through everyday experiences at home and in preschool. Others have not. That doesn’t mean some children are less capable of grasping early math skills. It means they are starting from different places.

And because math learning is cumulative, early gaps can compound. A child who struggles to understand counting in kindergarten will have a harder time with simple addition in first grade, three-digit numbers in second grade and more complex problem-solving after that. By the time statewide testing begins in third grade, many students are already far behind, and many have already internalized the message that they are “not a math person.”

That is why California needs Senate Bill 1067.

Introduced by state Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson, D-La Mesa (San Diego County), SB1067 would require schools to screen kindergarten through second-grade students for math difficulties to identify challenges early and respond sooner. Supports may include small-group support, targeted interventions, additional time dedicated to math instruction and other evidence-based approaches.

This is not about labeling children. It is not about high-stakes testing. And it is not about burdening young students with hours of additional assessment. A screening tool is a brief, practical way for schools to identify students who may need extra support before problems become more serious and costly to address.

The logic is simple: Schools cannot intervene early if they do not know which students need help.

California rightly rejected the idea that some students simply aren’t “reading people.” In 2023, the state adopted universal screening for reading difficulties in K-2 along with a requirement for evidence-based reading intervention. This year, roughly 1.2 million students in those grades are being screened so schools can identify needs earlier rather than waiting for failure to compound.

Math deserves the same urgency and the same commitment to early identification.

At least 20 states have already incorporated early math screening into broader math improvement strategies, and many are beginning to see meaningful results. The universal early screening and targeted intervention policies included in the landmark Alabama Numeracy Act, for example, helped it become the only state in the country to surpass its pre-pandemic fourth-grade math scores on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Meanwhile, California was among the last states to adopt comprehensive reading reforms. Our students cannot afford a similar delay in math. SB1067 is not a silver bullet. California also needs strong instruction, well-prepared teachers, high-quality instructional materials and effective intervention. But early screening is a necessary first step grounded in research.

This is ultimately about both equity and economic competitiveness. Every child deserves the chance to build confidence with numbers before they start believing they’re “not a math person.” Every parent deserves a school system that catches challenges when a student’s academic trajectory can still be changed. And every employer in California has a stake in a generation of young people prepared to reason quantitatively in a world that increasingly demands it.

Guest opinions in Open Forum and Insight are produced by writers with expertise, personal experience or original insights on a subject of interest to our readers. Their views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Chronicle editorial board, which is committed to providing a diversity of ideas to our readership.

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California’s math outcomes are not a reflection of our students’ potential or our teachers’ commitment. They reflect a system that too often identifies struggles too late. A strong foundation in math is critical for success in school, career and life. SB1067 lays the groundwork for the solid start every student needs.

California should pass it.

Marshall Tuck is CEO of EdVoice, a nonprofit education advocacy organization based in California.

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