The Daily The Miracle Unfolding in Mississippi Schools
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Apr 10, 2026 
Sarah Mervosh, a New York Times K-12 education reporter, explores Mississippi’s surprising school turnaround. She digs into phonics-based reading instruction, literacy coaches, school grading, and third-grade retention. She also looks at targeted spending, why results fade by eighth grade, and why other states hesitate to follow Mississippi’s model.
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Mississippi Became A Top Performer Despite Poverty
- Mississippi went from 49th in 2013 to a top-10 state in fourth-grade reading by 2024.
- Adjusted for poverty and demographics, Sarah Mervosh says it ranks number one for fourth-grade reading and math and eighth-grade math.
State Pressure And Support Drove The Turnaround
- Mississippi's gains came from a forceful state role, not a single miracle reform.
- The state paired accountability with direct support, including telling districts how to teach and where to improve.
Inside A Classroom Built Around Explicit Reading
- At Hazlehurst Elementary, reading instruction looked explicit and scripted rather than child-led or incidental.
- Sarah Mervosh watched second graders chant blamelessness and define complain, showing phonics and vocabulary taught directly.