# California education worse than Hilton claims

> California's education crisis exceeds Steve Hilton's claims.
- Title: California education worse than Hilton claims | Shortify
- Summary: California's education crisis exceeds Steve Hilton's claims. California's reading scores improved only 6% in 13 years, while Mississippi's students show…
- Keywords: california, steve hilton, mississippi, reading scores, phonics, sanctuary state, english learners, prop 98, news, entertainment, education, worse
- Source: California Post — https://nypost.com/2026/09/16/opinion/california-education-is-even-worse-than-steve-hilton-says
- Published: 2026-09-17T00:08:28+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: california, steve hilton, mississippi, reading scores, phonics, sanctuary state, english learners, prop 98, news, entertainment
## Steve Hilton's claim
Steve Hilton, Republican candidate for governor, claims two out of every three Black students in California do not meet basic English standards.

> Two out of every three Black students in California do not meet basic English standards
## California's reading scores
California's fourth-grade reading scores rose from 40% in 2013 to 46% in 2025, a 6% increase over 13 years.

> In 2013, California ranked 47th nationally in fourth-grade reading skills, with only 40% of students reading at grade level. In 2025, that rose to 46% of students reading at grade level.
## Mississippi's improvement
Mississippi's fourth-graders showed the highest growth in reading and math over the same period, moving from the bottom to above national averages.

> In roughly the same time frame, fourth-graders showed the highest growth in the nation in reading and math. They also moved from the bottom of the rankings to above the national average for the first time.
## California's phonics delay
California waited years to adopt phonics, the core approach Mississippi used to improve reading skills.

> First, California waited years to get behind the push for phonics, the old-fashioned approach to reading that was at the core of Mississippi’s improvement.
## Mississippi's accountability
Mississippi holds back third-grade students who don't pass reading requirements, ensuring real educational results.

> Second, Mississippi holds back third-grade students if they don’t pass their reading requirements. They want results. Nobody passes for social reasons or to make schools look better than they are.
## California's key benchmark
Fourth grade is a critical benchmark for educational achievement; California students fall behind if they can't read by this age.

> Fourth grade is a key benchmark for educational achievement. If kids can’t read by fourth grade, they fall behind in other subjects as well, and the shortfall becomes much more difficult to address.
## Sanctuary state impact
California's sanctuary policies create 1.113 million English learners, who struggle to read at grade level and hinder other students.

> In the 2022-23 school year, there were approximately 1.113 million English learners in California public schools, which represents 19.01% of the total enrollment.
## Key takeaway

California's reading scores improved only 6% in 13 years, while Mississippi's students show higher growth and accountability.