- Josh Riggs says when academic success happens here, in Mississippi, many national observers treat it as a fluke. “Let’s start calling this what it really is: momentum.”
Mississippi’s public educators are finally receiving the spotlight and respect they deserve after several years of what is being called “The Mississippi Miracle,” a dramatic turnaround in student reading scores and overall academic achievement that has led most recently to Mississippi’s #16 ranking by the 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book rankings.
While I’m glad to see our students and educators finally getting the recognition, it should not be called a miracle—because it isn’t. It’s the product of common-sense education policy and tireless persistence from parents, educators, administrators, and advocates who refuse to believe our children’s academic success should be determined by where they live.
When national media outlets describe our progress as a miracle, it implies this success is an exception to the rule, some sort of stroke of luck or statistical fluke. But we didn’t accidentally get here. The people of Mississippi earned it by being intentional in the classroom, at home, and in the Capitol.
In 2013, state leaders adopted the Literacy-Based Promotion Act, putting an emphasis on early reading skills and ensuring schools could be held accountable for the outcomes of their students.
Legislators and educators together continued to build the support systems necessary to improve student performance by funding literacy coaches, prioritizing training, and implementing rigorous assessments to track progress. Over the next decade, tens of thousands of Mississippi parents, teachers, and administrators embraced these changes, even when it meant deviating from decades-old practices. Together, our citizens went to work, engaged and committed to raising the expectations for ourselves and our state.
When we call this a miracle, we risk erasing the years of long hours, sleepless nights, and unrecognized hard work by Mississippians who chose to believe in our state and our students rather than leaving for supposed greener pastures.
When other states, like Pennsylvania and New Jersey succeed in education, the headlines are completely different. For those states, academic success is both accepted and celebrated. But when it happens here, in Mississippi, many national observers treat it as a fluke at best, if not merely a lucky draw.
That’s where they miss the mark. Mississippi’s success is proof that conservative, common-sense education policy combined with intentional investment from parents, teachers, and administrators can lead to consistent success. It’s not an unrepeatable miracle—it’s a model. So, what does this mean moving forward? It means this isn’t the end, but the beginning.
Our educators, those talented, hardworking, passionate teachers and administrators who stayed here and helped turn our system around deserve more than a shoutout. Teachers across Mississippi stayed committed because they saw promise in students like me, even when much of the nation dismissed us because of our accents and underestimated our potential.
Many educators stuck it out in underfunded classrooms, buying supplies out of their own pockets. They didn’t do this for headlines. They put in the work because they believed every child deserves a shot at success, and we should continue to reward that faith.
Our state has made improvements in teacher pay over the last several years, but we can’t stop now. Across-the-board raises are great, but our legislators and administrators should also pursue all innovative ways possible to reward the teachers making the biggest impacts. Our best educators shouldn’t have to leave the profession or the state they love for a bigger paycheck.
We don’t have to stop there. Every child deserves access to Mississippi’s best teachers and a high-quality education, no matter where they live. The legislature must continue to pass legislation that empowers families to address their children’s needs regardless of their zip code.
Expanding school choice isn’t about undermining Mississippi’s education system. It’s about unlocking its full potential by giving students and families more freedom—options like tuition vouchers and expanding our already-successful charter school system—alongside rewarding our educators with the pay and resources their efforts deserve. This is how we build an education system that works for all students, all the time.
Most importantly, we need to begin changing the narrative of this moment. This isn’t a one-off miracle. Mississippi didn’t just defy the odds—we changed them in our favor. Let’s start calling this what it really is: momentum.
We should continue the hard work that got us here in the first place: investing in our students, uniting as communities, and refusing to accept others’ low expectations.
Mississippi’s momentum is real—and we’re just getting started.
