Bill Maher Criticizes California on Education and Green Energy, Points to Mississippi NAEP Gains and Texas Utility-Scale Solar
Bill Maher criticized California’s K-12 education and green-energy performance on Real Time, comparing the state unfavorably to Mississippi and Texas while citing a New York Times NAEP analysis and federal energy data, prompting broader political and local scrutiny.
- Maher invoked NAEP data, highlighting striking fourth‑grade reading and math gaps between Black students in Mississippi and California.
- He claimed Mississippi’s gains came “for way less money,” contrasting outcomes with state spending patterns.
- On energy, Maher said Texas now leads California in utility‑scale solar generation and capacity.
- Coverage amplified the monologue across conservative outlets and raised questions for Los Angeles policymakers on education, permitting and job impacts.
What Maher said on “Real Time”
Maher devoted part of his opening monologue to a direct critique of California Democrats. He said:
“Democrats, these are your issues: education, race, the environment. And I say this with love: you’re losing to the Waffle House, car-on-the-lawn states,” framing education and clean energy as part of the Democratic brand California should lead on.
Coverage of the segment is available as video coverage and a shorter summary.
The New York Times and NAEP data Maher cited
Maher cited a Feb. 9, 2026 New York Times analysis of 2024 NAEP results. The NYT described findings as “astonishing” and provided a head‑to‑head look at Black fourth‑graders in Mississippi and California (NYT, Feb. 9, 2026).
Reported NAEP figures summarized in coverage show:
- Reading, Grade 4, Black students: Mississippi — 19% proficient, 2% advanced; California — 7% proficient, 1% advanced.
- Math, Grade 4, Black students: Mississippi — 22% proficient, 2% advanced; California — 10% proficient, 1% advanced.
Maher emphasized the NYT phrasing that “a Black Mississippi child is two and a half times as likely to be proficient in reading by fourth grade as a Black California child,” and noted state ranking differences — California 37th in fourth‑grade reading, Mississippi ninth — crediting Mississippi’s early‑literacy reforms for much of its gain (see coverage).
Spending and the “for way less money” claim
Maher’s “for way less money” line suggested California spends substantially more per pupil while posting weaker NAEP results on some measures. The short coverage echoed that contrast but did not provide an apples‑to‑apples accounting of per‑pupil spending, cost‑of‑living adjustments, or allocation differences (see coverage).
Public education finance data generally show California in the upper half for school spending and Mississippi lower, making Maher’s rhetorical point plausible as political argument — but the reporting cited does not resolve methodological comparability.
Green energy: Texas vs. California
Maher’s second line of attack focused on utility‑scale solar. He argued Texas is “blowing [California] away on green energy,” pointing to rapid additions in Texas.
Coverage referencing federal energy data showed 2025 utility‑scale solar generation at about 58,634 GWh in Texas versus 53,713 GWh in California, a gap attributed to faster permitting and construction in Texas (see summary).
Reporting also notes California still leads when small‑scale rooftop solar is included, and that wind, storage and grid integration complicate single‑state rankings. Maher singled out permitting delays and regulatory complexity in California as reasons utility‑scale projects have lagged, contrasting with Texas’s more permissive environment (video excerpts: video and video).
Political and media context
Maher — historically a liberal voice increasingly critical of progressive policy — delivered remarks that conservative outlets amplified because they fit a narrative of Democratic policy failure (see coverage, recap).
His critique rests on the political logic that Democrats have overseen many education systems and green policies, so weak results are politically costly for the party.
What the coverage did not fully show
- Missing policy detail: The NYT analysis likely explains why Mississippi’s reading scores rose — for example, specific reforms — but short summaries do not reproduce those explanations (NYT, Feb. 9, 2026).
- Incomplete finance accounting: Media pieces did not present a full, comparable set of per‑pupil spending figures adjusted for cost‑of‑living or allocation differences.
- Energy complexity: Coverage emphasized utility‑scale solar; rooftop solar, wind, storage, emissions and grid metrics complicate single‑state comparisons.
Sources and further reading
- WFMD summary of Maher remarks
- Fox News clip of the segment
- Washington Examiner reporting
- Hollywood In Toto recap
- Daily Wire coverage referencing the segment
- Maher video excerpts: video and video
- New York Times analysis cited by Maher: New York Times, Feb. 9, 2026 (analysis of 2024 NAEP results)
Implications for Los Angeles, California
Economic impact
California’s competitive position in clean‑energy construction affects jobs and investment in the Los Angeles region. If utility‑scale permitting lags statewide while rooftop and distributed solar remain strong locally, local installers, grid planners and storage providers may compete for different market slices. Faster utility‑scale build elsewhere could mean fewer regional manufacturing and construction contracts for Southern California, even as local rooftop and storage markets remain robust.
Political consequences
Maher’s critique may sharpen local debate before school board and state elections. Los Angeles Unified and other districts face scrutiny over reading scores, literacy initiatives and budget priorities. A national spotlight pairing Mississippi’s NAEP gains with California’s struggles could push moderate voters to demand concrete plans on early literacy and measurable outcomes.
Social effects
Attention to disparities in Black student proficiency highlights ongoing equity concerns for Los Angeles schools, which serve diverse communities with wide disparities in early‑learning access. Local advocates and district leaders may feel increased pressure to show progress on early literacy, targeted tutoring, and evidence‑based curriculum reforms.
Cultural relevance
The framing — that a deep‑red state now outperforms a deep‑blue state on a civil‑rights‑era benchmark — cuts against long‑standing narratives about which policies deliver results. In Los Angeles, where progressive education and environmental priorities are central to civic identity, the critique raises questions about whether current approaches are delivering for the city’s most vulnerable children.
Practical applications
- Data transparency: Calls for more transparent reporting of reading outcomes and targeted metrics.
- Program expansion: Expansion of proven early‑literacy programs and evidence‑based interventions.
- Permitting reform: Careful review of permitting timelines for large renewable projects to capture jobs and reliability benefits.
- Local pilots: Accelerate pilot programs for tutoring, curriculum reform and community‑scale clean‑energy approvals.
The reporting and Maher’s monologue pose a challenge for local leaders: explain how spending and policy choices translate into classroom results and energy build‑out for Angelenos, and outline actionable steps that show progress on both fronts.
