Name: What Michigan Can Learn About Reading From Mississippi
Start: 2026-04-15T11:30:00-04:00
Location: The Louie Building (6th floor) 123 W. Allegan St. Lansing, MI, 48933

You must RSVP Here by April 9: https://www.mackinac.org/events/2026/april-15-what-michigan-can-learn-about-reading-from-mississippi
Why has Michigan's educational achievement – especially reading scores – declined in recent years while Mississippi has improved rapidly? The Mackinac Center for Public Policy invites policymakers, educators and members of the public to a lunchtime panel discussion to find out. This event will examine how state policy choices shape student outcomes and why Michigan’s current approach has fallen short.
Mississippi has become one of the most striking education turnarounds in the country. Ranked among the lowest-performing states for decades, it has emerged as a national leader in early literacy. That transformation did not happen by chance. It followed a deliberate strategy focused on evidence-based reading instruction, early identification of struggling students, teacher preparation aligned with the science of reading and consistent accountability.
Meanwhile, Michigan’s educational outcomes have declined over recent decades, even as per-pupil spending continued to rise. Reading proficiency in particular remains a persistent challenge, especially in the early grades, where students’ long-term academic trajectories are often set. This event will explore Michigan’s literacy laws, assess their potential effectiveness and consider what additional changes may be necessary to produce the type of meaningful improvement achieved in Mississippi.