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By Molly Macek
As the reading skills of young Michigan students trend downward, Mississippi is producing impressive gains in elementary school literacy. In a new report, “Mississippi Learning: Lessons on Literacy Laws for Michigan Lawmakers,” the Mackinac Center examines the policies and implementation strategies that pulled the Magnolia State out of a literacy crisis.
Michigan fourth graders placed 44th among the states in reading in the latest results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. In Mississippi, by contrast, fourth grade reading performance improved so dramatically that the state went from 49th to ninth in a little more than 10 years. Its low-income students performed better than similarly situated students in any other state.
Mississippi made these gains after it passed the Literacy-Based Promotion Act in 2013. The literacy law requires universal screening and early intervention for reading deficiencies. Instruction in Mississippi schools must to be grounded in the science of reading, and third-grade students must be proficient in reading before advancing to fourth grade.
While Mississippi’s literacy law does include some good-cause exemptions, it prohibits students from being socially promoted to the next grade level based on age or “any other factors that constitute social promotion.” Lawmakers recognized that students must develop certain skills to be successful in future grades — especially fourth grade, when a student needs a stronger reading foundation to learn more complex subject material.
Passing a good law wasn’t enough to produce results of this magnitude. Mississippi also needed teachers, school officials, and parents to support the new rules. Implementing the law effectively required a concerted, statewide effort by education professionals and state leaders dedicated to improving student outcomes.
In Michigan, state leaders have taken recent steps to address the state’s ominous literacy trend. In 2024, lawmakers passed reading legislation that will take effect in the 2027-28 school year. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared that literacy would be a priority for her final year in office, dedicating $625 million to support literacy efforts.
But Michigan’s literacy law lacks the accountability measures needed to ensure its success. Unlike Mississippi’s Literacy-Based Promotion Act, Michigan’s new law allows social promotion regardless of a student’s ability to read. Without accountability requirements, students are more likely to advance through the system without the literacy skills needed to thrive.
In Mississippi, the combination of good policy, accountability, dedicated educators, and an intentional focus on implementation delivered dramatic gains in fourth-grade reading proficiency. By applying lessons learned from Mississippi, Michigan can turn around its literacy crisis.
The new report, “Mississippi Learning: Lessons on Literacy Laws for Michigan Lawmakers,” is available at mackinac.org.
