Mississippi, Florida, Texas and Louisiana do better on math and reading in 4th and 8th grade tests than MD and VA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also Mississippi is

Highest scoring state 4th grade reading socially disadvantaged - 212
(Virginia 201 / MD 196 / MINN 197))

3rd highest states for Black Students - 206
(Virginia 199 / MD 201 / MINN 195)

Tied with Florida for highest scoring state for Hispanic Students - 215
(Virginia 198 / MD 198 / MINN 197)

LOL. Look it up. Mississippi held back a ton of kids and gave the test a year later.

While most states were allowing schools to teacher Lucy Calkins /balanced literacy junk, Mississippi mandated 10 years ago students had to be taught phonics. Then Mississippi began holding back students who couldn't read and gave them intensive reading intervention. There is nothing more important in elementary school than to learn to read. The results prove that it works.

Mississippi Retention Data: Reports from early 2026 indicate that 6% of third graders were retained, along with 8.2% of kindergarteners and 7.8% of first-graders. It is cruel to continually pass along students who are illiterate.

Move to Mississippi, then. See how that works out for you.

We should learn from Mississippi instead. They did well. No harm in admitting it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also Mississippi is

Highest scoring state 4th grade reading socially disadvantaged - 212
(Virginia 201 / MD 196 / MINN 197))

3rd highest states for Black Students - 206
(Virginia 199 / MD 201 / MINN 195)

Tied with Florida for highest scoring state for Hispanic Students - 215
(Virginia 198 / MD 198 / MINN 197)

LOL. Look it up. Mississippi held back a ton of kids and gave the test a year later.

While most states were allowing schools to teacher Lucy Calkins /balanced literacy junk, Mississippi mandated 10 years ago students had to be taught phonics. Then Mississippi began holding back students who couldn't read and gave them intensive reading intervention. There is nothing more important in elementary school than to learn to read. The results prove that it works.

Mississippi Retention Data: Reports from early 2026 indicate that 6% of third graders were retained, along with 8.2% of kindergarteners and 7.8% of first-graders. It is cruel to continually pass along students who are illiterate.

Move to Mississippi, then. See how that works out for you.

We should learn from Mississippi instead. They did well. No harm in admitting it.

You want to start retaining a lot of 3rd graders?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also Mississippi is

Highest scoring state 4th grade reading socially disadvantaged - 212
(Virginia 201 / MD 196 / MINN 197))

3rd highest states for Black Students - 206
(Virginia 199 / MD 201 / MINN 195)

Tied with Florida for highest scoring state for Hispanic Students - 215
(Virginia 198 / MD 198 / MINN 197)

LOL. Look it up. Mississippi held back a ton of kids and gave the test a year later.

While most states were allowing schools to teacher Lucy Calkins /balanced literacy junk, Mississippi mandated 10 years ago students had to be taught phonics. Then Mississippi began holding back students who couldn't read and gave them intensive reading intervention. There is nothing more important in elementary school than to learn to read. The results prove that it works.

Mississippi Retention Data: Reports from early 2026 indicate that 6% of third graders were retained, along with 8.2% of kindergarteners and 7.8% of first-graders. It is cruel to continually pass along students who are illiterate.

Move to Mississippi, then. See how that works out for you.

We should learn from Mississippi instead. They did well. No harm in admitting it.

You want to start retaining a lot of 3rd graders?

NP. If you retain them to get interventions so they can learn to read, rather than passing them to a grade where there's a lot of work they can't do, why is that bad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also Mississippi is

Highest scoring state 4th grade reading socially disadvantaged - 212
(Virginia 201 / MD 196 / MINN 197))

3rd highest states for Black Students - 206
(Virginia 199 / MD 201 / MINN 195)

Tied with Florida for highest scoring state for Hispanic Students - 215
(Virginia 198 / MD 198 / MINN 197)

LOL. Look it up. Mississippi held back a ton of kids and gave the test a year later.

While most states were allowing schools to teacher Lucy Calkins /balanced literacy junk, Mississippi mandated 10 years ago students had to be taught phonics. Then Mississippi began holding back students who couldn't read and gave them intensive reading intervention. There is nothing more important in elementary school than to learn to read. The results prove that it works.

Mississippi Retention Data: Reports from early 2026 indicate that 6% of third graders were retained, along with 8.2% of kindergarteners and 7.8% of first-graders. It is cruel to continually pass along students who are illiterate.

Move to Mississippi, then. See how that works out for you.

We should learn from Mississippi instead. They did well. No harm in admitting it.

You want to start retaining a lot of 3rd graders?

NP. If you retain them to get interventions so they can learn to read, rather than passing them to a grade where there's a lot of work they can't do, why is that bad?

Chickens come home to roost

Mississippi has a dropout rate of 3.2%, while Virginia's dropout rate is lower at 1.6%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also Mississippi is

Highest scoring state 4th grade reading socially disadvantaged - 212
(Virginia 201 / MD 196 / MINN 197))

3rd highest states for Black Students - 206
(Virginia 199 / MD 201 / MINN 195)

Tied with Florida for highest scoring state for Hispanic Students - 215
(Virginia 198 / MD 198 / MINN 197)

LOL. Look it up. Mississippi held back a ton of kids and gave the test a year later.

While most states were allowing schools to teacher Lucy Calkins /balanced literacy junk, Mississippi mandated 10 years ago students had to be taught phonics. Then Mississippi began holding back students who couldn't read and gave them intensive reading intervention. There is nothing more important in elementary school than to learn to read. The results prove that it works.

Mississippi Retention Data: Reports from early 2026 indicate that 6% of third graders were retained, along with 8.2% of kindergarteners and 7.8% of first-graders. It is cruel to continually pass along students who are illiterate.

Move to Mississippi, then. See how that works out for you.

We should learn from Mississippi instead. They did well. No harm in admitting it.

You want to start retaining a lot of 3rd graders?

NP. If you retain them to get interventions so they can learn to read, rather than passing them to a grade where there's a lot of work they can't do, why is that bad?

Chickens come home to roost

Mississippi has a dropout rate of 3.2%, while Virginia's dropout rate is lower at 1.6%.

Mississippi's graduation rate has also been rising dramatically: https://www.mississippifreepress.org/mississippi-graduation-rate-hits-90-8-rising-from-nations-lowest-to-among-the-highest/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also Mississippi is

Highest scoring state 4th grade reading socially disadvantaged - 212
(Virginia 201 / MD 196 / MINN 197))

3rd highest states for Black Students - 206
(Virginia 199 / MD 201 / MINN 195)

Tied with Florida for highest scoring state for Hispanic Students - 215
(Virginia 198 / MD 198 / MINN 197)

LOL. Look it up. Mississippi held back a ton of kids and gave the test a year later.

While most states were allowing schools to teacher Lucy Calkins /balanced literacy junk, Mississippi mandated 10 years ago students had to be taught phonics. Then Mississippi began holding back students who couldn't read and gave them intensive reading intervention. There is nothing more important in elementary school than to learn to read. The results prove that it works.

Mississippi Retention Data: Reports from early 2026 indicate that 6% of third graders were retained, along with 8.2% of kindergarteners and 7.8% of first-graders. It is cruel to continually pass along students who are illiterate.

Move to Mississippi, then. See how that works out for you.

We should learn from Mississippi instead. They did well. No harm in admitting it.

You want to start retaining a lot of 3rd graders?

NP. If you retain them to get interventions so they can learn to read, rather than passing them to a grade where there's a lot of work they can't do, why is that bad?

Why do you need to retain them to get interventions?

[Anonymous]

That's probably because those states are all so racist that anyone who can afford it, sends their kids to private schools. Schools are still segregated in the South, people just have to pay for the privledge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also Mississippi is

Highest scoring state 4th grade reading socially disadvantaged - 212
(Virginia 201 / MD 196 / MINN 197))

3rd highest states for Black Students - 206
(Virginia 199 / MD 201 / MINN 195)

Tied with Florida for highest scoring state for Hispanic Students - 215
(Virginia 198 / MD 198 / MINN 197)

LOL. Look it up. Mississippi held back a ton of kids and gave the test a year later.

While most states were allowing schools to teacher Lucy Calkins /balanced literacy junk, Mississippi mandated 10 years ago students had to be taught phonics. Then Mississippi began holding back students who couldn't read and gave them intensive reading intervention. There is nothing more important in elementary school than to learn to read. The results prove that it works.

Mississippi Retention Data: Reports from early 2026 indicate that 6% of third graders were retained, along with 8.2% of kindergarteners and 7.8% of first-graders. It is cruel to continually pass along students who are illiterate.

Move to Mississippi, then. See how that works out for you.

We should learn from Mississippi instead. They did well. No harm in admitting it.

You want to start retaining a lot of 3rd graders?

NP. If you retain them to get interventions so they can learn to read, rather than passing them to a grade where there's a lot of work they can't do, why is that bad?

MD hired Dr. Carey Wright, the current Maryland State Superintendent, who was the architect of Mississippi's successful reforms.

The reality is if you break the scores by race white students are tied, black students are slightly lower but Hispanic students are much lower.

Terrorizing their community and making it scary to go to school and leaving them without parents isn’t going to help the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also Mississippi is

Highest scoring state 4th grade reading socially disadvantaged - 212
(Virginia 201 / MD 196 / MINN 197))

3rd highest states for Black Students - 206
(Virginia 199 / MD 201 / MINN 195)

Tied with Florida for highest scoring state for Hispanic Students - 215
(Virginia 198 / MD 198 / MINN 197)

LOL. Look it up. Mississippi held back a ton of kids and gave the test a year later.

While most states were allowing schools to teacher Lucy Calkins /balanced literacy junk, Mississippi mandated 10 years ago students had to be taught phonics. Then Mississippi began holding back students who couldn't read and gave them intensive reading intervention. There is nothing more important in elementary school than to learn to read. The results prove that it works.

Mississippi Retention Data: Reports from early 2026 indicate that 6% of third graders were retained, along with 8.2% of kindergarteners and 7.8% of first-graders. It is cruel to continually pass along students who are illiterate.

Move to Mississippi, then. See how that works out for you.

We should learn from Mississippi instead. They did well. No harm in admitting it.

You want to start retaining a lot of 3rd graders?

NP. If you retain them to get interventions so they can learn to read, rather than passing them to a grade where there's a lot of work they can't do, why is that bad?

Why do you need to retain them to get interventions?

DP. You're assuming that every kid who is struggling is attending school and is trying their best. In many cases, the kids aren't trying and are frequently truant. Why would they or their families even care if they're below grade level, since there are no real consequences. If there's a threat of retention, kids may try harder and miss less school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also Mississippi is

Highest scoring state 4th grade reading socially disadvantaged - 212
(Virginia 201 / MD 196 / MINN 197))

3rd highest states for Black Students - 206
(Virginia 199 / MD 201 / MINN 195)

Tied with Florida for highest scoring state for Hispanic Students - 215
(Virginia 198 / MD 198 / MINN 197)

LOL. Look it up. Mississippi held back a ton of kids and gave the test a year later.

While most states were allowing schools to teacher Lucy Calkins /balanced literacy junk, Mississippi mandated 10 years ago students had to be taught phonics. Then Mississippi began holding back students who couldn't read and gave them intensive reading intervention. There is nothing more important in elementary school than to learn to read. The results prove that it works.

Mississippi Retention Data: Reports from early 2026 indicate that 6% of third graders were retained, along with 8.2% of kindergarteners and 7.8% of first-graders. It is cruel to continually pass along students who are illiterate.

Move to Mississippi, then. See how that works out for you.

We should learn from Mississippi instead. They did well. No harm in admitting it.

You want to start retaining a lot of 3rd graders?

NP. If you retain them to get interventions so they can learn to read, rather than passing them to a grade where there's a lot of work they can't do, why is that bad?

MD hired Dr. Carey Wright, the current Maryland State Superintendent, who was the architect of Mississippi's successful reforms.

The reality is if you break the scores by race white students are tied, black students are slightly lower but Hispanic students are much lower.

Terrorizing their community and making it scary to go to school and leaving them without parents isn’t going to help the issue.

Why are Asians always left out of these debates? In many cases Asian parents don't speak fluent English, haven't gone to school in America, nor are they affluent or even middle class. This was even more pronounced in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

Yet, their kids outperform every group including UMC whites. Literacy is more than just some stereotype of non-white and/or poor. Pouring endless amounts of money or theories without fixing the roots of the problem isn't the answer. That money could be better used elsewhere or just not taxed into existence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also Mississippi is

Highest scoring state 4th grade reading socially disadvantaged - 212
(Virginia 201 / MD 196 / MINN 197))

3rd highest states for Black Students - 206
(Virginia 199 / MD 201 / MINN 195)

Tied with Florida for highest scoring state for Hispanic Students - 215
(Virginia 198 / MD 198 / MINN 197)

LOL. Look it up. Mississippi held back a ton of kids and gave the test a year later.

While most states were allowing schools to teacher Lucy Calkins /balanced literacy junk, Mississippi mandated 10 years ago students had to be taught phonics. Then Mississippi began holding back students who couldn't read and gave them intensive reading intervention. There is nothing more important in elementary school than to learn to read. The results prove that it works.

Mississippi Retention Data: Reports from early 2026 indicate that 6% of third graders were retained, along with 8.2% of kindergarteners and 7.8% of first-graders. It is cruel to continually pass along students who are illiterate.

Move to Mississippi, then. See how that works out for you.

We should learn from Mississippi instead. They did well. No harm in admitting it.

You want to start retaining a lot of 3rd graders?

NP. If you retain them to get interventions so they can learn to read, rather than passing them to a grade where there's a lot of work they can't do, why is that bad?

MD hired Dr. Carey Wright, the current Maryland State Superintendent, who was the architect of Mississippi's successful reforms.

The reality is if you break the scores by race white students are tied, black students are slightly lower but Hispanic students are much lower.

Terrorizing their community and making it scary to go to school and leaving them without parents isn’t going to help the issue.

Why are Asians always left out of these debates? In many cases Asian parents don't speak fluent English, haven't gone to school in America, nor are they affluent or even middle class. This was even more pronounced in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

Yet, their kids outperform every group including UMC whites. Literacy is more than just some stereotype of non-white and/or poor. Pouring endless amounts of money or theories without fixing the roots of the problem isn't the answer. That money could be better used elsewhere or just not taxed into existence.

Not really. Huge levels of income inequality in this population. Looking at average academic performance in this population obscures the needs of Asian communities with lower incomes that are definitely struggling academically.