The Miracle Unfolding in Mississippi Schools - The Daily

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Daily - “The Miracle Unfolding in Mississippi Schools” (April 10, 2026)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of The Daily, hosted by Natalie Kitroeff, explores the extraordinary turnaround in Mississippi's public schools, known as the "Mississippi Miracle." In a time when American education is facing a crisis—with falling reading and math scores nationwide—Mississippi, historically one of the lowest-performing and poorest states, has emerged as a national leader in elementary-level academic achievement. Reporter Sarah Mervosh examines how Mississippi achieved this transformation and what lessons it offers for education policy across the country.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Scale of Mississippi’s Improvement

Mississippi’s previous ranking: In 2013, Mississippi ranked 49th in the nation for education, especially for young kids learning to read (01:44).
Rapid progress: By 2019, they were near the national average, and now they are a top 10 state for 4th-grade reading (02:00).
When adjusted for poverty: “Mississippi is the number one place in the country for fourth graders learning reading and math, and the number one state for eighth grade math.” (02:20)
Significance: Poor children in Mississippi now outscore poor children in almost every other state on national reading and math tests.

2. The Context: Declining National Test Scores

While Mississippi rose, nationwide test scores in reading and math have declined since 2015, bad trends exacerbated but not started by the COVID-19 pandemic (03:40). Mississippi is one of the few states defying this trend, particularly for its lowest-performing students.

3. The Ingredients of Mississippi’s Turnaround

Multifaceted Policy Changes

There was no single “magic bullet” – improvements resulted from layered, systemic changes (04:33).
Key pillars:
- Aggressive state intervention—mandating how districts teach reading.
- Increased state accountability for results, coupled with support.
- Overhaul of reading instruction, focusing on explicit phonics and vocabulary.
- Support and oversight for teachers via “literacy coaches.”
- Targeted curriculum reforms and tight control over instructional materials.

Reform Timeline

Major reforms date back to 2013 legislation amid bipartisan agreement recognizing Mississippi’s education crisis (05:10).

4. A Case Study: Hazlehurst Elementary

In 2015, only 12% of Hazlehurst students were reading at grade level; today, that’s risen to 35% (06:04).
While 35% is still insufficient, the progress is real, especially given the socioeconomic context.

5. Changes in the Classroom: How Reading Is Now Taught

Instruction shifted from a more laissez-faire approach to highly structured, explicit phonics and vocabulary instruction (06:52).
Example: Second graders sound out multisyllabic words like “blamelessness,” and discuss the meaning of words like “complain” (07:02).
- Memorable classroom exchange: “Anybody else complain about something?” “My dog making too much noise in the house.” (07:41)

6. Teacher Support: Literacy Coaches

Definition: “It is not a coach for the students. It is a coach for the teachers...sending the best practices out into the system.” (08:44)
Coaches demonstrate lessons, offer immediate feedback, and act as mentors, not disciplinarians.
Teachers at Hazlehurst value the help: “They loved it...They were just thirsty for the knowledge and for the help.” (09:39)

7. Curriculum and Accountability

The state mandates a short list of approved, high-quality curricula.
Accountability system overhauled: tougher proficiency standards, A–F grades for schools, and extra weight for improving lowest-performing students (11:13).

8. High-Stakes Testing—With a Twist

Mississippi incorporates elements of former No Child Left Behind policies, but:
- It values not just proficiency but growth, especially among the bottom 25% of students (14:49).
- This “growth model” motivates schools to raise scores for all students, not just those close to proficiency.
Notable student perspective:
- “If I make a low grade on the other grades, if I make it higher, it’s like staircases that go up.” —Johnny, 5th grader (16:39)
Some testing fatigue exists: “Students were taking tests every two weeks...even more than the state recommended.” (15:23)

9. Controversy: Holding Students Back

Since 2013, third graders who can’t read at grade level are typically held back (about 6–9% yearly) (19:31).
This is controversial due to emotional effects—students fear being separated from peers, and there are debates over long-term benefits (19:56).
On selection bias: Some critics say this strategy may artificially inflate state scores by giving low scorers another year before being tested (20:55), but retained students also get intensive support.

10. Funding & Sustainability

Mississippi spends about $13,500 per student—far below the national average ($18,000) and top spenders like New York ($29,000) (22:14).
The state accomplishes gains by tightly targeting resources (literacy coaches, preschool expansion), not by spending dramatically more overall (23:25).
Gains are strongest in early grades; results in eighth grade are less impressive, prompting efforts to extend early-intervention strategies up the grades (23:42).

11. Can It Last & Will Others Follow?

Recent state test data show a slight post-pandemic dip; long-term durability questioned (24:40).
Other Southern states (Louisiana, Alabama) are copying Mississippi. Maryland hired Mississippi’s former superintendent for similar reforms (26:03), but most blue states have not.
Barriers elsewhere: teachers unions, resistance to top-down mandates, political difficulties (26:53).
Notably, deep-red Mississippi’s approach is paradoxically “big government”—high top-down control versus blue states’ preference for local discretion (28:03).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On poverty and achievement:
- “Mississippi is one of the best places in the country for a poor child to get an education.”
  —Sarah Mervosh (02:18)
On structured reading instruction:
- “So that’s actually a significant change from just sort of reading for the love of reading...It’s explicit teaching, and it’s direct.”
  —Sarah Mervosh (07:48)
On the value of literacy coaches:
- “They’re really there to mentor and coach and spread best practices. Like, hallelujah. Like, I would love if someone could just help me every time I was struggling with a story.”
  —Sarah Mervosh (09:39)
From a 5th grader, Johnny:
- “If I make a low grade on the other grades, if I make it higher, it’s like staircases that go up...It’s just like building a lot.” (16:39)
On accountability and culture:
- “Poverty cannot be an excuse. Like number one, this is possible...There is no magic bullet…you have to do this and this and this and you have to keep after it.”
  —Sarah Mervosh (29:19)
On the paradox:
- “It’s sort of the opposite of what you would think...You have states like Oregon...taking the opposite approach...getting a much poorer return on investment...”
  —Sarah Mervosh (28:30)

Timestamps for Key Segments

Introduction of Mississippi’s achievement: 01:44–03:24
Classroom observations at Hazlehurst Elementary: 05:45–07:50
Explanation of phonics-based reading lessons: 06:52–08:17
Role and reception of literacy coaches: 08:44–10:13
Discussion on changed accountability measures: 11:07–13:50
Student interviews about testing: 15:23–17:16
Controversy on student retention: 19:31–22:05
Discussion on funding: 22:14–23:42
Limits and future prospects: 24:40–25:21
Adoption by other states and politics: 26:03–28:03
Final takeaways: 29:06–30:29

Lessons & Closing Insights

Mississippi’s education turnaround proves that even the poorest, lowest-ranked state can achieve outstanding progress through sustained, top-down efforts focused on core academics, accountability, and targeted support. While it’s not a perfect or universally popular model—and its long-term persistence remains to be proven—the “Mississippi Miracle” challenges common assumptions about what’s possible for disadvantaged students and invites broader reflection on the politics and priorities of public education in America.

“What you really have to have is the political will and the will across business and across the culture of a place to say like this is something that we as a state are going to commit to...We’re going to be a little bossy in telling you what to do. But then we’re also going to flood you with support and we’re going to see it through to the end.”
—Sarah Mervosh (29:28)

End of Summary

Transcript

A (0:00)

This podcast is supported by nrdc, the Natural Resources Defense Council. The Trump administration just carried out the largest environmental rollback in American history. They eliminated the endangerment, finding a core scientific and legal foundation for tackling climate pollution. This is illegal and NRDC is suing to stop them. For a short time, listeners of the Daily will have their gift matched to support their legal challenge. Go to nrdc.org daily

B (0:31)

from the new York Times, I'm Natalie Kitroweff. This is the Daily.

C (0:43)

In the middle of a crisis for American education. With reading and math scores down across

B (0:49)

much of the country, one place has managed a stunning turnaround.

C (0:54)

Mississippi, one of the poorest states in America today. My colleague Sarah Mirvash on how Mississippi may have pulled off an educational miracle and what a deep red state could teach us about how to educate our kids.

B (1:16)

It's Friday, april 10th. Sarah, you've been spending time looking into what is being called the Mississippi miracle, this unthinkable improvement in the state's schooling. I want to start by asking you first to just lay out what that improvement has actually looked like. The scale and the scope of this turnaround.

D (1:44)

Yeah, I mean, it's significant. I'll start with just a few stats. As recently as 2013, Mississippi ranked 49th in the country for education, particularly for young kids learning how to read.

B (1:56)

49th.

D (1:57)

49th. No one wants to be 49.

B (1:59)

Nope.

D (2:00)

And so that's a result that in some ways seemed predictable and even inevitable because Mississippi is a pretty poor state. It doesn't spend a lot on education. But slowly but surely, they started turning things around. By 2019, they were about in line with the national average, and now they are a top 10 state for. For fourth graders learning how to read.

B (2:20)

Wow.

D (2:20)

Yeah. And I think something even more impressive is if you adjust for poverty and other demographics like race, Mississippi is the number one place in the country for fourth graders learning reading and math and the number one state for eighth grade math.