Mississippi’s reading turnaround holds lessons for Oregon

Earlier this year, the National Assessment of Educational Progress released its annual report card, including reading scores for fourth graders across the country.

Reading scores at fourth grade are considered a vital bellwether for a student’s educational progress.

Adjusted for demographics, Oregon landed 50th—at the very bottom. Mississippi, a state some Oregonians like to deride as backward, scored at the very top.

Mississippi is a state burdened by deep poverty, tightfisted public spending, and a…