California superintendent candidate Richard Barrera faces criticism over comments about university professors teaching foundational mathematics. As UC considers reinstating standardized testing, the controversy raises questions about college readiness, academic accountability, and educational intervention.
Editorial Note
This article examines statements attributed to California superintendent candidate Richard Barrera, responses from his critics, official University of California announcements, and publicly reported assessment results. Political claims and interpretations are distinguished from verified institutional policies and educational data.
New To Education has not independently evaluated the mathematics proficiency of incoming UC students. Statewide K–12 proficiency figures should not be treated as representative of students admitted to selective universities. The analysis below is intended to inform discussion of academic preparation, student support, and educational accountability, not endorse a political candidate.
When Students Reach College Without Basic Math Skills, Who Is Responsible?
What happens when a student successfully graduates from high school, earns admission to a prestigious university, and then struggles with mathematics normally taught years earlier?
That question has intensified a California education debate after state superintendent candidate Richard Barrera argued that professors at public universities have a responsibility to help students who arrive without sufficient mathematical preparation.
His remarks, made during an October 4, 2026, interview with NBC Los Angeles, prompted criticism from political opponent Sonja Shaw and education advocates who believe California's K–12 system should be held more accountable for preparing students before graduation.
The controversy reaches beyond a disagreement between political candidates. It raises difficult questions about what academic credentials represent, whether universities can reliably identify student readiness, and how much responsibility colleges should assume for gaps developed during elementary and secondary education.
At the same time, University of California faculty members have voiced concerns that some incoming students are struggling with essential mathematical concepts. These concerns have contributed to a formal review of standardized testing and admissions policies.
The central question is no longer simply whether colleges should offer remedial instruction. It is whether the education system is identifying learning deficiencies early enough to prevent them from following students into higher education.
Bottom Line
Richard Barrera opposes reinstating standardized admissions testing and believes universities should provide additional support to admitted students who need mathematics review. His critics argue that this approach risks overlooking the responsibility of K–12 schools to ensure students graduate with essential academic skills.
The debate is unfolding amid troubling mathematics proficiency figures. California's 2024–25 statewide assessments showed that approximately 30.49% of tested 11th graders met or exceeded the mathematics standard.
Meanwhile, more than 1,450 faculty members had signed a letter by June 11, 2026, calling for the University of California to reconsider SAT or ACT mathematics scores for applicants to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs.
UC has begun reviewing its policies, but standardized testing requirements have not been restored.
The larger educational challenge involves ensuring that access to higher education is accompanied by accurate academic assessments, meaningful intervention, and sufficient preparation for college-level coursework.
What Did Richard Barrera Say?
During an interview with NBC Los Angeles political reporter Conan Nolan, Barrera was asked whether the SAT should return as an admissions requirement for the University of California.
Barrera rejected the proposal and argued that university professors share responsibility for teaching students who need additional academic preparation.
According to reporting published by Fox News Digital on October 7, Barrera disputed claims that substantial numbers of incoming university students cannot perform basic arithmetic. He suggested that some students may struggle with subjects such as algebra and trigonometry because they have not studied them recently.
His argument was that these students could benefit from academic review and accelerated learning rather than additional barriers to university admission.
Barrera also emphasized the circumstances of first-generation college students and individuals who have overcome significant obstacles to enter higher education. From his perspective, academic deficiencies should prompt institutions to provide appropriate support rather than assume that students lack the ability to succeed.
Shaw, Barrera's opponent in the November election for superintendent of public instruction, criticized that position. She argued that assigning additional responsibility to university professors avoids addressing the shortcomings of the K–12 system.
Other critics, including education advocates interviewed by Fox News, similarly questioned whether universities should be expected to correct foundational deficiencies that developed during earlier years of schooling.
The disagreement reflects competing priorities rather than a simple choice between helping students and maintaining standards.
Barrera emphasizes opportunities for students to recover academically after admission. His critics emphasize the responsibility of schools to prepare students before they reach that point.
Both concerns are relevant to the broader discussion of academic readiness.
California's Mathematics Results Raise Broader Questions
The controversy becomes more significant when examined alongside statewide academic performance.
California's 2024–25 Smarter Balanced assessment results showed that approximately 30.49% of tested 11th-grade students met or exceeded the state's mathematics standard. In English language arts, approximately 56.96% achieved the corresponding benchmark.
These figures indicate that large numbers of students have not demonstrated grade-level proficiency on state assessments as they approach the end of secondary education.
However, the results require careful interpretation. Statewide assessments measure performance against defined academic standards, not every mathematical skill a student possesses. A student who does not meet the overall mathematics benchmark is not necessarily incapable of performing fractions or other elementary calculations.
Furthermore, the statewide testing population is different from the group of students applying to or enrolling in the University of California. The results cannot establish the mathematics proficiency of incoming UC students.
Nevertheless, they provide important context for understanding why educators and policymakers are concerned about preparation for higher education.
If students consistently struggle to demonstrate mathematical proficiency during high school, it is reasonable to examine whether instructional gaps are being identified and addressed before graduation.
California has reported statewide academic improvements, including gains in mathematics achievement. Those improvements deserve recognition, but they do not eliminate the need for additional intervention where proficiency remains low.
The goal should be to understand where academic progress is occurring, where weaknesses persist, and which instructional strategies are producing meaningful results.
University Professors Are Reporting Academic Preparation Gaps
Concerns about college-level mathematics preparation were already receiving significant attention before Barrera's comments.
In June 2026, UC Berkeley faculty members helped organize an open letter urging the University of California to reconsider standardized mathematics testing for STEM applicants.
By June 11, the letter had attracted more than 1,450 faculty signatures.
The professors argued that additional assessment information could help universities determine whether applicants are sufficiently prepared for mathematics-intensive courses.
UC Berkeley's own reporting also described concerns among mathematics instructors who had encountered students struggling with concepts ordinarily expected before entering calculus and other advanced subjects.
One particularly significant example involved findings from UC San Diego, where a report indicated that approximately one in twelve incoming students tested below middle-school mathematics standards. That finding referred to a particular institutional assessment population rather than all students entering the UC system.
The distinction matters because the level of academic difficulty varies considerably among students.
Some entering university students require only brief review, while others may need a more structured opportunity to rebuild foundational knowledge.
Faculty members have expressed concern that these differences can make it difficult to maintain appropriate course expectations while simultaneously supporting students with substantial gaps.
The issue is especially important for STEM programs, where mathematical understanding frequently forms the basis for subsequent coursework.
A student who struggles with algebraic expressions, functions, or trigonometric relationships may encounter additional challenges in calculus, physics, engineering, and related disciplines.
Without intervention, those difficulties can accumulate and eventually affect course completion, academic confidence, and degree progress.
Should University Professors Teach Foundational Mathematics?
One of the most important questions in the controversy concerns the distinction between academic support and responsibility for prerequisite instruction.
University professors routinely review earlier concepts when introducing new material. Effective instruction often requires identifying misconceptions and helping students connect previous knowledge with more advanced subject matter.
However, there is a difference between reviewing an essential concept and rebuilding several years of incomplete mathematical learning.
A calculus professor may reasonably revisit algebraic manipulation when explaining derivatives. That does not necessarily mean an introductory calculus course should become a comprehensive program for teaching elementary and middle-school mathematics.
If universities repeatedly encounter students with substantial foundational deficiencies, institutions may need more specialized support structures.
These could include mathematics learning centers, summer bridge programs, supplemental instruction, diagnostic assessments, academic tutoring, and carefully structured introductory courses.
Such programs can allow students to strengthen essential skills without reducing the rigor of advanced instruction.
At the same time, universities cannot reasonably assume that all students arrive with identical academic experiences or levels of preparation.
Even academically successful students may need additional assistance when transitioning into unfamiliar coursework.
The challenge is developing systems that respond to individual academic needs while preserving meaningful expectations for college-level learning.
This requires cooperation between secondary schools and universities rather than placing the entire burden on one educational institution.
The SAT Debate: Academic Accountability or Admissions Barrier?
The controversy has renewed disagreement about whether standardized testing should return to University of California admissions.
Supporters of reinstating the SAT or ACT argue that standardized assessments can provide information that is difficult to obtain from high school grades alone.
Students attend schools with different grading practices, course availability, academic expectations, and instructional resources. Consequently, similar grades may not always indicate identical levels of preparation.
Testing could provide universities with another measure for identifying academic strengths and weaknesses, particularly for applicants pursuing mathematics-intensive majors.
However, critics argue that standardized tests can reflect differences in educational opportunity and access to preparation resources.
Students from families with greater financial resources may have more opportunities to obtain private tutoring, specialized courses, and structured test preparation.
High school grades, educational context, coursework, and other admissions information can also provide valuable evidence of student potential.
Research on predictive validity and educational equity remains important because no single assessment perfectly captures academic ability.
A further distinction involves how test scores would be used.
A diagnostic examination intended to identify tutoring needs is different from a standardized admissions test used to determine whether a student can enroll.
Universities could use academic diagnostics to guide placement without making those assessments admissions barriers. Conversely, institutions could restore standardized admissions testing and still require strong intervention programs.
The most important question is whether a particular assessment improves academic decision-making and student success, not simply whether testing exists.
The University of California Is Reviewing Its Admissions Policies
The University of California has already begun examining these concerns through a formal institutional process.
On June 11, 2026, the UC Academic Senate announced plans to review admissions policies, including the possible use of standardized testing and existing college-preparatory course requirements.
A subsequent announcement on July 22 established an expedited faculty-led review through the Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools.
The review is scheduled to produce a report on standardized testing for the Academic Council by February 12, 2027. Recommendations are expected to reach the Board of Regents by June 2027.
For prospective students, the most important clarification is that the university has not restored the SAT or ACT requirement.
Students applying for fall 2027 admission will continue under the existing testing policy. The university has not determined whether requirements will change for fall 2028 or later.
Any future policy change would require additional consideration and approval through the university's governance process.
This distinction is essential because faculty concerns, political criticism, and institutional reviews do not automatically establish new admissions requirements.
The Real Problem May Begin Years Before College
One of the most overlooked aspects of the controversy is how mathematical deficiencies develop.
Academic knowledge builds progressively. Students generally need an understanding of foundational numerical relationships before advancing successfully into algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus.
When a student experiences difficulty with fractions, ratios, or mathematical operations, that weakness can affect the ability to understand more complex concepts in subsequent grades.
Without adequate intervention, students may continue progressing through school while carrying unresolved gaps in understanding.
This does not mean that every student requiring university support was inadequately taught earlier in life. Knowledge can weaken through disuse, course sequencing can create difficulties, and students can experience academic disruption for many reasons.
However, schools should examine whether advancement and graduation requirements consistently identify students who have not mastered essential prerequisites.
A passing course grade is important, but it may not provide a complete picture of a student's readiness for advanced study.
Teachers and administrators may need to examine performance across classroom assignments, independent assessments, prerequisite evaluations, and other measures of learning.
When different measures produce conflicting results, educators should investigate those differences instead of assuming that a single indicator provides the entire answer.
The goal should be to identify instructional needs while there is still sufficient time to address them.
Waiting until a student enrolls in college to discover substantial gaps can increase academic pressure and make intervention more complicated.
Could Earlier Tutoring and AI-Assisted Learning Help?
The controversy also highlights opportunities for educational intervention before students reach university.
Traditional tutoring, structured academic support, and emerging artificial intelligence tools may help educators identify specific areas where students need additional instruction.
For example, an adaptive mathematics assessment could identify whether a student struggling with algebra is experiencing difficulty with fractions, negative numbers, equations, or another prerequisite concept.
Rather than requiring every student to repeat the same material, an instructional system could use those results to guide focused review.
Qualified educators and tutors could then provide explanations, guided practice, and feedback based on demonstrated needs.
AI-assisted tools may also help generate practice questions, explain mathematical procedures in different ways, and provide students with opportunities to review material outside regular classroom hours.
However, such tools are not automatic solutions.
AI systems can produce incorrect explanations, encourage overreliance, or fail to recognize the underlying cause of a student's misunderstanding. Their effectiveness depends on instructional design, content accuracy, student engagement, and appropriate educator oversight.
Research and outcome monitoring are necessary before claims about improved achievement can be justified.
Educational technology should supplement meaningful teaching and assessment rather than replace qualified educators or independently determine important academic outcomes.
For organizations such as New To Education, the broader opportunity lies in connecting tutoring, accessible learning resources, and responsible technological support around individual learning needs.
The objective should not be to increase the amount of technology students use. It should be to help them develop the understanding and independence necessary to succeed.
What This Means for Teachers and School Administrators
The debate has practical implications for educators throughout the K–12 system.
Teachers regularly encounter students whose academic performance varies across different skills and subjects. A student may demonstrate strong reasoning and communication abilities while experiencing significant difficulty with mathematical concepts introduced in earlier grades.
These differences require careful assessment and targeted instruction rather than broad assumptions about academic ability.
For school administrators, college readiness should involve more than graduation rates, credit accumulation, or college acceptance figures.
Schools should also examine whether students possess the prerequisite knowledge needed for success in their intended academic pathways.
That process might include reviewing intervention outcomes, evaluating instructional alignment, strengthening prerequisite-skill assessments, and collaborating with higher education institutions.
It may also require difficult decisions about staffing, academic support, professional development, and allocation of instructional resources.
Importantly, accountability should not become a process of assigning blame to individual teachers for challenges involving curriculum design, funding, student mobility, attendance, and differences in academic opportunities.
Instead, accountability should help institutions determine which students need support, whether interventions are effective, and what improvements are necessary.
What Parents and Students Should Understand
Families should recognize that eligibility for university admission and preparation for a particular academic program are related but distinct considerations.
A student may satisfy general admissions requirements while needing additional preparation for a mathematics-intensive degree.
Students planning to study engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics, or related disciplines should examine the prerequisite expectations of their intended programs.
Reviewing algebra, functions, trigonometry, and other relevant subjects before university enrollment may help prevent avoidable academic difficulties.
Parents can support students by reviewing academic progress across multiple measures and asking educators whether demonstrated performance aligns with future coursework.
When weaknesses are identified, structured tutoring or targeted academic support may provide an opportunity to strengthen understanding before those difficulties become more serious.
The purpose of additional assessment should be to support informed decisions and meaningful learning, not simply to label students as capable or incapable.
Why This Debate Matters Beyond California
Although the controversy centers on California, the underlying questions apply to educational institutions across the United States.
Universities admit students from schools that operate under different academic expectations, grading systems, course offerings, and graduation requirements.
Determining whether those students are prepared for advanced coursework requires more than assuming that completion of one educational stage guarantees readiness for the next.
At the same time, universities serve students with different educational backgrounds and should recognize that academic development continues beyond high school.
The challenge is maintaining educational opportunity without treating academic readiness as an optional consideration.
A system that admits students without identifying substantial academic gaps may expose them to unnecessary financial and educational difficulties.
A system that relies too heavily on narrow admissions measures may exclude students who could succeed with appropriate support.
Improving educational outcomes requires finding ways to address both concerns through transparent expectations, reliable assessment, and timely academic intervention.
What Happens Next?
California's superintendent race will continue to generate discussion about K–12 accountability, standardized testing, and responsibility for academic preparation.
However, the University of California's admissions review will provide a more direct opportunity to evaluate the potential role of testing in future admissions decisions.
The recommendations expected in 2027 could influence how the university evaluates applicants and identifies academic preparation needs.
Even if standardized testing returns, universities will still need to determine how assessment information should guide placement, tutoring, and other academic support.
Meanwhile, California's K–12 institutions face the continuing challenge of helping more students achieve mathematics proficiency before graduation.
Subsequent assessment results and university student-success data will provide additional information about whether existing policies and interventions are improving academic readiness.
The controversy may ultimately prove most valuable if it encourages institutions to examine not only who should be responsible for academic deficiencies, but how those deficiencies can be prevented from becoming long-term barriers.
Key Takeaways
- Richard Barrera opposes reinstating SAT requirements and believes universities should help admitted students overcome gaps in mathematical preparation.
- Sonja Shaw and other critics argue that K–12 schools must remain accountable for ensuring students graduate with foundational academic skills.
- Approximately 30.49% of tested California 11th graders met or exceeded mathematics standards in 2024–25, highlighting statewide proficiency challenges without establishing the abilities of incoming UC students.
- More than 1,450 faculty members had signed a letter by June 11 urging reconsideration of standardized mathematics testing for STEM applicants.
- The University of California is reviewing admissions policies, with recommendations expected in 2027. No SAT or ACT reinstatement decision has been announced.
- Early intervention may be more effective than waiting until college, particularly when difficulties with foundational mathematics affect later coursework.
- Tutoring, diagnostic assessment, and carefully supervised AI-assisted learning may provide additional support, but their effectiveness should be evaluated rather than assumed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Richard Barrera say university professors should teach basic mathematics?
Barrera argued that professors and universities share responsibility for helping admitted students who need additional mathematics preparation. He also disputed characterizations suggesting widespread inability to perform elementary mathematics.
Are students entering the University of California without middle-school mathematics skills?
Faculty reporting and specific university assessments have identified some students with substantial preparation gaps. However, those findings should not be generalized to all incoming UC students or used to characterize the entire university system.
Is the University of California bringing back the SAT?
No decision has been announced. UC is conducting a formal review of its admissions policies, with recommendations expected in 2027. The existing testing policy remains in effect for fall 2027 applicants.
Should colleges provide remedial mathematics support?
Academic support can help students overcome preparation gaps, but the appropriate approach depends on their needs. Universities can provide tutoring, bridge programs, and specialized coursework while maintaining expectations for advanced classes.
Can AI tutoring solve mathematics proficiency problems?
AI-assisted tutoring may help identify weaknesses and support practice, but it should not be treated as a proven replacement for qualified instruction. Reliable assessment, accurate content, educator oversight, and demonstrated learning outcomes remain essential.
Final Thoughts
The controversy surrounding Richard Barrera's comments reflects a broader challenge within American education: students need meaningful opportunities to pursue higher education, but they also need sufficient preparation to succeed once those opportunities become available.
These objectives should reinforce one another rather than compete.
University instructors should be prepared to support students through academic transitions. At the same time, elementary and secondary schools should identify and address foundational deficiencies before students encounter increasingly demanding coursework.
Standardized testing may provide useful information, but assessment alone does not resolve instructional gaps. Likewise, academic support programs cannot fully compensate for years of unfinished learning without sufficient time, resources, and effective teaching.
The more productive question is not simply whether professors should teach students basic mathematics. It is why some students reach advanced educational settings with substantial gaps in understanding and what institutions can do to identify those gaps sooner.
California's ongoing admissions review provides an opportunity to examine those questions through evidence, institutional cooperation, and a stronger understanding of student learning.
Ultimately, educational success should be measured not only by whether students gain access to higher education, but also by whether they receive the preparation and support necessary to make meaningful progress once they arrive.
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Sources
1. Fox News Digital — California Education Candidate Tells College Professors to Teach Students Basic Math, Rejects SAT Requirement (October 7, 2026)
Reporting on Barrera's remarks, criticism from Sonja Shaw and education advocates, and the broader debate over university mathematics preparation.
2. University of California, Berkeley — UC Berkeley Mathematicians Reignite National Conversation on College Admissions and SAT/ACT Scores (June 11, 2026)
Faculty concerns regarding academic preparedness, mathematics diagnostics, and potential changes to standardized admissions testing.
3. University of California — UC Academic Senate Announces Plan to Review Admissions Policies (June 11, 2026)
Official announcement regarding the university's evaluation of testing and academic preparation requirements.
4. University of California — Statement From UC Academic Senate Chair Ahmet Palazoglu on Undergraduate Admissions Review (July 22, 2026)
Official information on review timelines and the continued status of test-free admissions.
5. California Department of Education — 2024–25 California Statewide Assessment Results
Official statewide reporting on academic performance, mathematics achievement, and recent improvements.
https://www.cde.ca.gov/NR/ne/yr25/yr25rel43.asp
6. California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress — Results Portal
State assessment reporting portal for mathematics and English language arts performance by grade level.
https://caaspp-elpac.ets.org/caaspp/
New To Education | Independent Education News, Analysis, and Learning Resources
This article is provided for informational and educational purposes. Reported statements, public assessment results, and institutional announcements reflect information available as of October 10, 2026.
