Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves swept into Oklahoma City on Wednesday with a bold message for state leaders: if they are willing to stick with strict literacy rules and steady funding, Oklahoma can pull off the same reading turnaround that has put his state in the spotlight.
Reeves cast Mississippi’s so-called “miracle” as the result of years of aligned effort, telling officials that consistent teacher training, on-the-ground coaching and clear accountability rules formed a playbook Oklahoma can adopt as it rolls out its new Strong Readers law and fresh literacy funding.
He urged Oklahoma policymakers to “commit to tough reading policies,” according to reporting by Oklahoma Voice, and pointed to Mississippi’s combination of phonics-based instruction, reading coaches and accountability measures as the ingredients behind measurable gains. Oklahoma Voice reported that Reeves said Mississippi has raised its proficiency level multiple times while he has been in office and that he urged Oklahoma leaders to stay the course over several years if they want similar results.
What the new law requires
Oklahoma’s answer to that challenge is Senate Bill 1778, which Gov. Kevin Stitt signed in April. The measure tightens the Strong Readers Act by requiring statewide reading screening, mandating intensive interventions for students in kindergarten through third grade and setting up stand-alone transitional classrooms for first- and second-grade students who are struggling…