From Strategy to Score: A Case Study From Jefferson County, Mississippi’s Advancement of Third-Grade Literacy Outcomes

This case study described how a Black superintendent in rural Mississippi led improvement efforts in his hometown to meet new literacy expectations after the passage of the Mississippi Literacy-Based Promotion Act. He centered on addressing statewide accountability results and community well-being and leveraging statewide policy changes as accountability tools for rapid improvement, with a particular focus on school leaders and professional learning systems to address gaps in educational leadership. He led the majority-Black district to be recognized by the state education department, with more students passing the reading exam, his goal. This case study explored the question, “How did the hometown superintendent lead his small, rural district to year-over-year sustained passage of the state’s literacy exam required for promotion to the next grade?”