As states continue implementing evidence-based reading mandates, schools are now confronting gaps between early literacy progress and measured outcomes—and attention is turning to math. The story traces how Goldrick Elementary in Denver adopted science-of-reading-aligned curriculum, assessments, staffing, and scheduling under Principal Taryn Rawson. While the school reports strong K-3 fluency gains on interim reading checks, fewer than one-third of 3rd graders reach proficiency on state tests. Rawson described the effort as “necessary, but not sufficient,” underscoring the persistent mismatch between classroom implementation and state-level performance. The article also notes that legislation is increasingly targeting math instruction. Between 2022 and 2025, 18 states passed policies moving math toward structured, intervention-oriented approaches, and the Center on Reinventing Public Education reports the growth of a nascent “science of math” movement grounded in experimental research. For higher education, the development matters because it signals renewed emphasis on how K-12 prepares students for college-level coursework, particularly in quantitative readiness.