Sep 6, 2026 · 18 min
Mississippi’s literacy reforms move reading from laggard to leader
How Mississippi Fixed Its Failing Schools
The episode tests whether Mississippi’s gains offer a practical model for states debating standards, retention, early intervention, and reading instruction.
- 1Mississippi paired higher standards and an end to social promotion with early screening and sustained reading support.
- 2Corey DeAngelis argues phonics-based science-of-reading instruction offers stronger evidence than entrenched alternatives.
- 3Amanda Malone describes how funding, literacy coaches, classroom instruction, and adolescent support turned policy into practice.
Don't miss
Amanda Malone lays out the implementation system—funding, literacy coaches, screening, and classroom instruction—that made Mississippi’s reforms operational.
The brief
Mississippi rose from near the bottom of national literacy rankings to the top 10, prompting a debate over which reforms drove the turnaround.
Corey DeAngelis of the Heritage Foundation links the gains to ending social promotion, enforcing third-grade reading standards, and adopting phonics-based instruction.
The central tension is whether higher expectations and retention harm students; the discussion argues Mississippi’s experience did not produce the feared outcomes.
Amanda Malone explains how legislative funding, literacy coaches, student screening, and strong tier-one instruction translated statewide policy into classroom practice.
Malone’s next challenge is older struggling readers: Mississippi is extending science-of-reading support beyond phonics as students face more complex texts.
Featuring
Tate ReevesListen to the full episode and explore every guest, topic, and moment on PodLume.