OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves will headline The State Chamber of Oklahoma’s Annual Meeting, bringing a national perspective on education reform, workforce development, and economic competitiveness as Oklahoma continues its push to improve early literacy and strengthen the state’s talent pipeline.
Reeves is expected to discuss the “Mississippi Miracle,” the name often used to describe Mississippi’s dramatic improvement in early reading and student achievement after the state implemented literacy reforms focused on phonics, accountability, and long-term follow-through.
In a recent conversation with The State Chamber, Reeves said Mississippi’s education gains have changed how others view the state and its workforce.
“When you change the perceptions of our state with respect to what our educational system looks like, that also means in the long term, you can change the perceptions of what the workforce looks like,” Reeves said. “Because of that, we’re seeing significant opportunities in economic development and job creation that we’ve never had the opportunity to see before.”
Reeves said Mississippi has announced $85 billion in new capital investments during his time as governor, connecting that growth to the state’s ability to prove it has a workforce capable of supporting major investment.
The discussion comes as Oklahoma business, education, and policy leaders continue to focus on early literacy as a core workforce and competitiveness issue. The State Chamber has made literacy a major priority through its Oklahoma Competes agenda, arguing that students who cannot read proficiently by the end of third grade are more likely to struggle academically and less likely to be prepared for future career opportunities.
Reeves said Mississippi’s approach worked because the state paired the science of reading with proper implementation and accountability.
“You can’t just simply say, we’re going to teach the science of reading, without having an implementation phase that is actually done properly, and, most importantly, having an accountability piece that ensures that implementation occurs,” Reeves said.
Reeves said Mississippi also ended social promotion for students who are not reading at grade level by the end of third grade, a policy that faced opposition but became central to the state’s reform effort.
“We have proven that if you raise the level of expectations, people in Mississippi, and I believe people in other parts of our country, will rise up and meet those increased expectations,” Reeves said.
Mississippi’s results have drawn attention from leaders across the country. Reeves said the state moved from 49th to ninth in fourth-grade reading, from 50th to 16th in fourth-grade math, and from 50th to 16th in overall public education systems nationally.
He also said the state rewarded educators as results improved, including what he described as the largest teacher pay raise in Mississippi history during the past five years, followed by another teacher pay raise in recent months.
“The real hard work was done by our administrators, our teachers, our parents, and most of all, our students,” Reeves said.
Reeves said states should view education improvement as part of a broader national competitiveness challenge.
“We’re not just competing with one another,” Reeves said. “Mississippi doesn’t just compete with Oklahoma or Alabama or Louisiana or Tennessee or Arkansas for jobs. We’re competing with countries all over the world.”
The State Chamber’s Annual Meeting will be held Wednesday, June 17, at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The event will continue the Chamber’s celebration of 100 years of impact, bringing together business and state leaders from across Oklahoma to hear legislative session highlights, honor outstanding legislators and business leaders, and gavel in the Chamber’s new chairman. Reeves’ appearance will anchor the program as Oklahoma begins implementing its own literacy reforms and advances the education and workforce priorities outlined in Oklahoma Competes.
