The “Mississippi Miracle” – the transformation of one of the country’s worst school systems into one of the best – was more of a marathon than a sprint, insiders say.
Three people involved in education in Mississippi discussed how the state changed its policies and practices over time to dramatically improve results.
“The story of Mississippi is often misunderstood,” said Robert Pondiscio, who hosted the American Enterprise Institute webinar. “It’s been called the Mississippi miracle, a phrase that’s catchy, flattering and, in my view, deeply misleading.”
Pondiscio explained that miracles “suggest sudden transformation, mysterious causes or outcomes too extraordinary to be replicated,” but Mississippi’s gains were the product of “years of policy coherence, sustained leadership, literacy reform, accountability, implementation, support and persistence over time.
“That matters, because if Mississippi’s success is a miracle, there’s little to learn from it except amazement. But if it’s a marathon, then there may be lessons here for every state willing to undertake difficult, sustained work.”
