Not being proficient does not mean they can't read, it's more that they're not "good" at reading. The same article says that the national numbers are even worse

Not being proficient does not mean they can't read, it's more that they're not "good" at reading. The same article says that the national numbers are even worse. The article only states that the gap between low income and wealthier students increased by 3% but it's not clear what the actual total difference is. If you look at the underlying data[1] you'll see that the national average is actually below proficient and that New Jersey is consistently above average, regardless of income. Certainly there is a difference in proficiency by income but there are far more factors at play there, most importantly the child's home life. [1] https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading/states/scores/?grade=4 https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading/states/scores/?gra...