How Mississippi Improved Literacy Scores and What Oregon Can Learn

Oregon’s fourth-grade reading scores have fallen behind Mississippi over the past decade, sparking intense discussions among state education leaders. While Mississippi surged in the national rankings after adopting explicit systematic phonics and targeted intervention programs, Oregon lawmakers are now looking closely at those strategies to address widening achievement gaps.

A decade ago, the educational standing of fourth graders in Oregon looked vastly different. Back in 2013, data from the nation’s report card showed Oregon students scoring 10 points higher than their peers in Mississippi. But over the next eleven years, that advantage completely evaporated, leaving a remarkable 22-point swing between the two states.

By 2024, Mississippi students were scoring 12 points higher than Oregon students in reading proficiency. KATU reported that this dramatic reversal has caught the attention of local education advocates trying to understand how a state once near the bottom of national rankings managed to turn things around.

Can Oregon learn from Mississippi to improve student reading?

“I think Mississippi of late has been a big inspiration,” Dana Hepper, from the Children’s Institute here in Oregon, told KATU.

How did Mississippi transform its reading instruction?

The turnaround in Mississippi didn’t happen by accident. In 2013, state lawmakers passed the Literacy-Based Promotion Act, establishing a clear mandate to ensure children learned to read proficiently in their earliest grades. That legislative push came with a fundamental change in classroom teaching methods.

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“I would say when we made the shift to the science of reading, which we changed from balanced literacy to explicit systematic phonics, that was one major difference,” Michelle Nowell, who oversees Mississippi’s curriculum and instruction, told KATU.

Beyond changing the curriculum, the state overhauled teacher training and introduced specialized reading coaches directly into struggling schools. Universal screening happens three times a year to catch falling students early, backed by frequent communication with parents and mandatory interventions.

A decade ago, Oregon fourth graders were well ahead of Mississippi in reading. But today, Mississippi has surged ahead of Oregon.https://t.co/xVlOmfoEXb

— https://x.com/KATUNews/status/2118548932888264769

Mississippi also implemented a strict promotion policy: third graders must meet specific reading standards to advance to fourth grade, unless they qualify for narrow exceptions. Oregon currently lacks a comparable statewide retention requirement.

What is Oregon doing to catch up?

Oregon established its own Early Literacy Initiative in 2023 to refocus classroom instruction. Yet funding structures and spending priorities differ significantly between the two states.

Mississippi currently invests roughly $15 million annually in its literacy initiative. By comparison, Oregon directs $50 million toward its early literacy program for roughly the same total number of students. According to Nowell, the ultimate success of these programs relies far less on sheer spending volume and far more on targeted execution.

“Just invest in professional development and invest in your teachers,” Nowell said to KATU, describing the long-term effort not as an overnight miracle, but as an ongoing marathon.