Episode 1686 • • 2:34:18 - 2:38:16
1686: Publical
Mississippi Literacy Rates, Phonics vs. Balanced Literacy
Mississippi's elementary literacy ranking rose from 49th to 21st in the nation after the state transitioned to a "science of reading" approach centered on phonics. The shift moved away from "balanced literacy," which encouraged students to guess words based on cues. While some critics attribute the rise to changes in assessment methods, proponents argue that returning to systematic phonics instruction is the primary driver of the improvement.