NYC should look to the Mississippi Miracle to learn how to teach reading

If you’re a parent of a young reader, would you rather start off in Manhattan or Mississippi? The answer may surprise you.Today, fourth-grade students in Mississippi read almost a full school year ahead of their peers in New York City, according to national test scores.It wasn’t always this way.In the early 2000s, Mississippi students trailed New York City by half a year.Now students in the Magnolia State read above the national average.Mississippi isn’t alone: Other high-poverty Southern states have made major gains.These dynamics are part of a post-pandemic shift of red states overtaking blue ones academically.Here’s another way of understanding these data: About 31,000 New York City fourth-graders scored at the Below Basic level last year.These students struggle to interpret the main character’s actions in “The Tale of Desperaux,” a classic story of a mouse on a quest to rescue a beautiful princess.In this summer’s primary election, New Yorkers will effectively choose their next mayor, and the stakes couldn’t be higher for Gotham’s aspiring readers.Here are three things that the city’s next mayor should learn from Mississippi and other Southern states about improving literacy.First, be honest and support struggling readers.

While 90% of New York parents think their child reads at or above grade level, only 45% actually do.  Mississippi doesn’t have this kind of honesty gap.The state sends written notice to parents when children are at risk of being held back and requires schools to create Individualized Reading Plans. These plans include targeted interventions and progress monitoring.

Schools also offer summer reading camps with small-group support.  Second, empower educators.Through no fault of their own, teachers around the United States are not well-trained in how to teach reading.Of the 16 teacher-prep programs in New York City, 12 earn a D or F from the latest National Council on Teacher Quality reviews.After passing a compreh...