Post claims Black Mississippi children 2 1/2 times more likely proficient in fourth-grade reading than California peers

A Facebook post asserted that “A Black Mississippi child is 2 1/2 times as likely to be proficient in reading by fourth grade as a Black California child,” and criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s presidential ambitions.

Fourth-grade reading proficiency is widely considered a key milestone in education, with researchers and educators saying early literacy affects later academic achievement and high school graduation rates. State-by-state differences in test scores and education outcomes regularly shape debates over school funding, curricula and policy priorities.

The post tied the claimed disparity to Gov. Newsom, saying his desire to run for president is a poor argument for adopting California-style policies. The post did not cite a specific data source for the 2 1/2-times figure.

Because the Facebook post did not include underlying data or a citation, the claim could not be verified from the post alone. We will provide more information as it becomes available.