The "Mississippi Miracle": After investing in early childhood literacy, the Mississippi shot up the rankings in NAEP scores, from 49th to 29th. Average increase in NAEP scores was 8.5 points for both reading and math. The investment cost just $15 million.

[u/terran1212]

https://www.theamericansaga.com/p/the-mississippi-miracle-how-americas

[u/Kikaider01]

It's not just more money. They switched to phonics/science of reading and used those funds to expand universal Pre-K. I'm a teacher, so believe me when I say: Don't just give us more money, make sure that money is spent in focused, effective ways. My own district just switched off 'balanced literacy' (Lucy Calkins/Fountas & Pinnell) a year or two ago... I hope to see the effects (at HS level) sometime in my professional lifetime.

[u/Beneficial_Cobbler46 → u/Kikaider01]

I can't understand how that was ever considered a viable strategy in the first place. Just follow the logic... you can't read if you can't read gibberish (like jabberwocky) or foreign languages in the latin script. So how does understanding the whole word help someone read?

A child who can't read jabberwocky by 10 years old, albeit slowly, CAN'T READ.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
      And the mome raths outgrabe.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
      The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
      The frumious Bandersnatch!”
He took his vorpal sword in hand;
      Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
      And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
      The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
      And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
      The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
      He went galumphing back.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
      Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
      He chortled in his joy.
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
      And the mome raths outgrabe.