In June we explained that California's universal reading screening is live: every public school must check kindergarten through second-grade students for risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia. This school year, one piece of that system quietly changed. The state's 2026 education omnibus budget bill, AB 126, chaptered July 9 as Chapter 65 of the Statutes of 2026, amended the screening law so that schools may not give a kindergartner the screener "before the 91st schoolday of the school year," according to the California Department of Education (CDE). For most families, that pushes their child's first official reading-risk check from the fall to roughly the middle of the year. Here's what changed, why it's controversial, and what you can do in the months before the screener arrives.

What exactly changed in California's screening law?

The original requirement comes from SB 114, the 2023 education budget bill, which told districts serving kindergarten through grade 2 to screen every student annually, starting no later than 2025–26, with an instrument approved by a state expert panel. AB 126 rewrote part of that section, Education Code 53008(e). Per the CDE's literacy page:

  • Kindergarten timing. Schools may not administer the reading-difficulty risk screener to a kindergarten pupil before the 91st school day.
  • How it's given. The law strongly recommends one-on-one or small-group administration, following each approved instrument's instructions.
  • Funding. AB 126 provides $40 million in 2026–27 for districts that screen students in kindergarten and grades 1 and 2.
  • Guidance still coming. The CDE must send districts guidance on the kindergarten timing rule by January 31, 2027.

The CDE's summary sets no similar day limit for first and second grade. An early version of the proposal, described in a March 2026 budget summary from Early Edge California, would also have barred screening grades 1–2 before the 46th school day; the CDE's description of the enacted law mentions only the kindergarten limit.

Why would a state delay screening?

The case for waiting is that many five-year-olds arrive with very little formal exposure to letters and sounds. Screen them in the first weeks of school and some will be flagged simply because nobody has taught them yet, which can swamp teachers with false alarms. A midyear check measures how a child responds to instruction, not just what they knew on day one. Advocates for early identification answer that this is exactly what a good screener and a short follow-up are for. In a March 2026 EdSource commentary written while the change was still a proposal, the authors argued that delaying the screener "extends uncertainty for educators" and withholds support from the children who need it most. Both concerns are real. The practical consequence is the same either way: for a kindergartner who is already struggling, the official signal now arrives about half a school year later.

What does that mean for a child with dyslexia?

Early intervention is not a slogan in dyslexia research; it's the most consistent finding in the field. Children who get explicit, systematic teaching in phonemic awareness and phonics in kindergarten and first grade generally need less help later than children identified in third grade. A delayed screener doesn't stop a school from teaching well in the fall, and good kindergarten classrooms will be doing that work anyway. But it does remove an automatic prompt that would have put a struggling child's name in front of a reading team in October. That makes a parent's own observations, and a parent's written requests, more important this year than last.

What can parents do before the 91st day?

You don't need the screener's permission to act. A screener sorts children into risk levels; it is not a diagnosis, and it was never the only door into help.

  1. Ask what happens in the fall. One email to the teacher: "Since the state screener can't be given to kindergartners until the 91st school day, how is the class checking letter-sound knowledge and rhyming skills this fall?" Many teachers use informal checks; ask what they show for your child.
  2. Write down what you see. Date your notes. Trouble learning letter names and sounds, difficulty rhyming, mixing up sounds in words, or a family history of reading difficulty are all worth recording. Our signs of dyslexia by age page lists what to watch for in kindergarten.
  3. Find out the date. Ask the school which day the 91st school day falls on this year and when results will be shared with families. Put it on your calendar.
  4. Request the results in writing. When screening happens, ask for your child's scores, the risk level, and what the school will do next, by name, frequency, and start date.
  5. Don't wait if you're worried. If you suspect a disability, a written evaluation request starts federal and state timelines regardless of the screener calendar. Our advocacy toolkit includes a template letter.

What mistakes should families avoid this year?

  • Assuming "no screener yet" means "no concerns." Silence in the fall is now built into the calendar. It isn't evidence your child is on track.
  • Treating a midyear flag as a fresh surprise. If your notes go back to September, share them. They help a reading team see a pattern instead of a single score.
  • Waiting for the screener to request an evaluation. The two are separate processes. A school cannot require you to wait for a screening result before it responds to a written evaluation request.
  • Forgetting first and second grade. The day limit applies to kindergarten. If you have an older K–2 child, ask when their screening is scheduled; it may be soon.

What should we watch next?

Three things. First, the CDE guidance due by January 31, 2027, which should tell districts how to handle the kindergarten timing rule in practice, including whether informal fall checks are encouraged. Second, how quickly districts move from a midyear flag to actual intervention; a flag in February that leads to help in April leaves very little of the school year. Third, how the $40 million is spent. California's broader literacy push, including the 31 approved teacher-training programs we covered last week, only works if the screener, the training, and the intervention line up. We'll keep tracking it on our state laws page.

Frequently asked questions

When will California kindergartners be screened for reading difficulties? Under AB 126, which amended Education Code 53008(e) in July 2026, schools may not give kindergartners the state-approved reading-difficulty risk screener before the 91st school day. On most calendars that falls around the middle of the school year. Ask your school for the exact date and how results are shared.

Does the delay apply to first and second graders? According to the California Department of Education's summary of the law, the 91st-day limit applies to kindergarten only. An earlier budget proposal would also have delayed grades 1 and 2 until the 46th school day, but the department describes only the kindergarten rule. First and second graders are still screened annually.

Can I request a dyslexia evaluation before my child is screened? Yes. A screener is a short risk check, not an evaluation, and it doesn't replace your rights under special-education law. If you suspect a disability, send a dated written request for a full evaluation to the school. That request starts legal timelines whether or not the screener has been given.

Source: California Literacy: AB 126 and Education Code 53008(e) (California Department of Education, accessed Oct 2026) · AB 126, education omnibus trailer bill (Digital Democracy / CalMatters) · "Don't make California's young readers wait" (EdSource commentary, Mar 2026) · "2026-27 California State Budget Proposal Trailer Bill Language Summary" (Early Edge California, Mar 2026)