I Believe that We Will Read: How an Underdog State Led a Literacy Revolution

Historically, Mississippi has ranked near the bottom of national indicators in areas such as education, healthcare, and economic mobility. The phrase “Thank God for Mississippi” became an expression of relief for South Carolina, reflecting the idea that, regardless of how poorly we were doing in The Palmetto State, at least The Magnolia State was performing worse. 

That was true in 2013, when only 33% of third graders and 32% of eighth graders in Mississippi could read proficiently. This poor performance led Mississippi lawmakers to pass the Literacy-Based Promotion Act (LBPA), a policy that emphasized phonics instruction, early literacy intervention, and third-grade reading proficiency as a gateway for academic advancement. The law required students to demonstrate reading proficiency in order to pass third grade and introduced coaching support, literacy screeners, and data-based interventions statewide. 

At that time, Mississippi’s K-12 education system was ranked 48th in the nation. As one of America’s poorest states, it was also one of the least educated areas in the nation with one of the worst performing public school systems. 

In recent years, however, Mississippi has rewritten that narrative — particularly when it comes to literacy. 

Governor Phil Bryant (2012-2020), who has dyslexia himself, made literacy the cornerstone of his education reform package. He presented the “Framing Mississippi’s Future” plan to state lawmakers, which included data on the state’s education system and proposed a new approach to education policy. During the 2013 legislative session, parts of the plan were enacted, including the establishment of Early Learning Collaboratives, Mississippi’s first state-funded pre-K program. These initiatives marked the beginning of broader education reforms in Mississippi. 

Dr. Kymyona Burk, who served as Mississippi’s first state literacy director in 2013, said this was Mississippi’s first state-led effort on a major scale to reform education, which started with the fundamental principle that children should be able to read. (Palmetto Promise hosted Dr. Burke for a legislative briefing on Mississippi literacy reforms in the South Carolina Statehouse in 2023.)  

From 2013 to 2019, Mississippi’s fourth grade reading scores climbed dramatically, surpassing national averages for the first time in decades. This rapid progress — dubbed the “Mississippi Miracle” — stunned education observers across the country. 

While some call the substantial positive shift in Mississippi a “miracle,” others call it common sense, stating the progress in reading scores came about due to legislators finally implementing accountability reforms. 

Last month, according to Education Week’s Quality Counts report, Mississippi achieved its highest-ever K–12 ranking: 16th in the nation. 

The Science of Reading and Its Expansion 

Much of Mississippi’s success has been credited to its embrace of the science of reading — a phonics-based approach grounded in decades of cognitive and neurological research. It stands in contrast to the now-controversial “balanced literacy” (three-cueing model), which often relies on guessing strategies and context clues rather than decoding words phonetically. 

An Education Week analysis found that, since 2013, 40 states and the District of Columbia have looked to the “Mississippi Model,” pushing for similar reforms that center on early literacy and science-based teacher training. 

Mississippi has committed over $15 million annually to sustain its literacy initiative, including extensive professional development, especially for K–3 teachers. 

South Carolina’s Turn 

Following Mississippi’s example, South Carolina has begun its own shift toward the science of reading. In 2023, under the leadership of Superintendent Ellen Weaver, the state launched widespread LETRS training (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling), a professional development program aimed at equipping educators with evidence-based tools to teach reading more effectively. 

LETRS training is being rolled out statewide, particularly targeting early grade teachers and reading interventionists. Educators are being trained to understand the foundational building blocks of reading — from phonological awareness to vocabulary development and fluency — and how to support struggling readers with targeted interventions. 

LETRS aligns with South Carolina’s Read to Succeed Act, passed in 2014 and advocated by the Palmetto Promise Institute. Recognizing that reading scores needed urgent attention, lawmakers in the South Carolina General Assembly introduced S.516, the bill that became the Read to Succeed Act. The act created a framework to support teachers and schools struggling with literacy rates. One of its key sponsors, Senator Harvey Peeler, believed that reading challenges should be addressed during the early years of schooling. The legislation aimed to improve literacy outcomes through early intervention, summer reading camps, and teacher training requirements — all focused on ensuring that students read on grade level before completing third grade. Until recently, however, the act lacked a unifying instructional philosophy — something LETRS now helps provide. 

The Read to Succeed Act was recently revised by Act 114 (2024). The new Act, among other provisions, requires that in-service professional development be provided based on the science of reading, structured literacy, and foundational literacy skills. 

Why It Matters 

In states like Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Alabama, significant literacy gains have shown that research-backed instruction and sustained policy commitment can raise achievement even in historically underperforming areas. South Carolina is betting on that same formula, recognizing that early literacy is a crucial component of long-term academic success. 

While critics warn that training alone won’t close all gaps, supporters argue that arming teachers with science-aligned strategies is one of the best ways to reach every child. 

As South Carolina continues to implement LETRS and refine its literacy policies, it faces the same test Mississippi once did: Will the investment lead to a breakthrough, or will it fall short, weakening the momentum required to improve reading scores? 

If Mississippi’s experience sets any precedent, the answer may depend on how deeply the state commits — not just financially, but in its fundamental values— to the belief that every child can learn to read when given the right support.