North Carolina's Reading Reform: A Miracle in the Making?

0:00This is Corey, with Durham News Today, powered by the Daily News Now. Mississippi has turned heads in education by boosting its fourth-grade reading scores from the bottom of national rankings to the top 10 in just a few years. This so-called Mississippi Miracles started with a 2013 law that shifted teaching to the science of reading, focusing on phonics and daily. Decoding practice. Experts and governors nationwide are studying it as a model for fixing early literacy. North Carolina took a similar step earlier with its 2012 read to achieve law, targeting third-grade reading in summer camps four. Strugglers. But the big change to science of reading came later in 2021 with the excellent Public Schools Act that funded training for every pre-K through fifth grade teacher and school administrator, plus statewide screeners, to spot issues early. Catherine Truitt, North Carolina's former superintendent, says the state planted the same seeds as Mississippi just on a delay timeline.

1:02She calls it the most comprehensive reading reform in the country back then, with districts now aligning to proven research over older-balanced literacy methods. Early signs look good, as kindergarten through third-grade screeners show North Carolina kids beating national averages. The first full group taught this way hits fourth grade this year, matching Mississippi's six-year weight from start to pay off. If the pattern holds, big results could hit by 2026 or 2027. Truitt hopes for a North Carolina miracle. Thanks to solid training, post-pandemic recovery, and strict accountability. It's all about sticking to the science and letting it grow. Special thanks to our sponsor for supporting this episode. Your bedtime ritual just got better. Built in sound, built in comfort. S-O-L-I-S-O-L-P-L-O-D.com.