Mississippi Made a Commitment to Its Kids. It’s Time We All Do the Same.

Marc H. Morial 
President and CEO
National Urban League

"A literacy law is an equity law, so states must make a bold stand and say they want this science-based approach. State education agencies should walk in their authority and ensure that their teachers are equipped, knowledgeable, and empowered to teach children how to read from the first day of class. That way, all states can start to see improvements in reading, the kind which will enable their students to enjoy the lifelong benefits of a quality education." -- Kymyona Burk

A few weeks back, a viral video that showed high school students struggling to read words below their grade level garnered millions of views.
 
The kids who mispronounced the word “silhouette” and failed to sound out “gauche” became the butt of jokes and the subject of conversations about the future of our country being “cooked.” But for our movement, it was a call to double down on our work to ensure that every child is ready for work and life, and that starts with reading.
 
As we assess ways to improve our education programs, like Project Ready, which provides on-site services to supplement what students learn in the classroom, we can look no further than Mississippi for a model of excellence.
 
Just over a decade ago, Mississippi ranked at the bottom of national K-12 education, sitting at 48th in on-time graduation, attendance, and reading proficiency. Rather than accepting a system that left students behind, it got to work. In 2013, the state passed the Literacy-Based Promotion Act. The law brought the “science of reading” to every classroom and provided teachers with literacy coaches to help fill skill gaps, focusing on students in K-3.
 
12 years later, the state ranks number 1 in reading and math gains since 2013 and number 9 in the nation in 4th-grade reading scores, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. For Black students, the impact was even greater.
 
Today, Mississippi Black 4th graders rank 3rd in the nation in reading and math scores among their peers.
 
The law has become a model across the nation and a reminder that investing in the future of our children is a choice, and a choice that every city and state should make.
 
Improved literacy has a direct correlation to life outcomes, political participation, and critical thinking; a skill that experts say will not only be in demand, but essential in the artificial intelligence economy.
 
To put it plainly, we cannot afford to raise another generation of young people who cannot read. We can no longer cite the pandemic and state budget deficits as excuses to fail our young people.
 
A more literate America is a more competitive one. When our children succeed in school and can participate in our economy and our future, they feel a sense of pride and have a vision for their lives that goes beyond the limitations too often imposed on them.
 
The Urban League applauds Mississippi’s comeback story. It will continue to support our affiliates, state superintendents, and leaders who are fighting to stop our children from being the butt of cruel jokes and instead celebrate them as the guardians of our future.
 

 
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