On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Education released the “Nation’s Report Card,” a national test of fourth- and eighth-grade students’ reading and math abilities. The results were stark: one-third of eighth graders cannot pick out the main idea of a text, and one-quarter of fourth graders scored “below basic” in math.
As the mother of two young children, I’m left wondering: Is this the future I can expect for my children — and for everyone else’s children?
Fortunately, across America there are reasons for hope. Louisiana, for example, was a shining example of a state that bucked the trend of declining reading scores — going beyond just pandemic recovery and exceeding its 2019 scores. Alabama, too, posted scores exceeding its 2019 results. Both Louisiana and Alabama are making strides to ensure their children are prepared to thrive in our increasingly competitive world.
As the leader of the Alliance for Learning Innovation (ALI), a coalition of 90-plus organizations, I come back to one question: “How can we figure out what works best to drive better outcomes for America’s children?” If we look to Louisiana, we see the answer: implementing research-backed practices and continuously pursuing innovations in education, which we call education research and development (R&D).
What’s Happening In Louisiana?
Several years ago, Louisiana revamped how it teaches reading. State leaders took the work of education researchers who had been studying the most effective, science-backed literacy programs and put their findings into practice. Other states, like Mississippi and Tennessee, made similar moves and saw their scores on previous national exams climb as well.
In Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, there is a common theme: State leaders, including governors, leaders of state departments of education, and state legislatures, have prioritized evidence and data as they figure out how best to teach their children. Louisiana passed a statewide law requiring teachers to learn “a research-backed approach to reading instruction that focuses on developing word recognition and reading fluency along with comprehension.” In a recent interview, Louisiana State Superintendent Cade Brumley explained that the “alignment between our governor’s office, our legislature, our state board, and our agency” was essential in implementing evidence-based approaches to literacy.
How can America guarantee that more states follow Louisiana’s lead? ALI, in partnership with coalition members Transcend and Education Reimagined, recently outlined key strategies in a new report that states can take to put students on the path to success.*
State Leadership In Education Matters
In interviews with more than 40 stakeholders, including state education leaders, philanthropic partners, and other partners working to improve education in America the headline was clear: State leadership matters enormously in driving outcomes for kids.
We saw several ways states are driving improved outcomes for students, which can be replicated across the country.
Establish A State Education Strategic Plan And Vision
States that are excelling have a strategic plan for their education systems that prioritizes evidence, innovation, and continuous improvement. These plans are coupled with clear visions for education that provide state and local leaders with direction and purpose. They also create a strong foundation for education R&D by ensuring programs, resources, and initiatives are all working toward the same outcomes.
Relatedly, states can develop a research agenda, in collaboration with schools, that will help identify the most pressing problems and challenges confronting their communities, which researchers and partners can then help answer. These two strategies implemented together keep everyone — from teachers to the state board of education — focused on the same set of outcomes, and the role R&D plays in achieving them.
That’s the approach Utah took when it made personalized teaching and learning a central goal in its strategic plan. Under the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. Sydnee Dickson, new grants in Utah required research projects to “address a need, determined by data, in the … community.” The strategic plan and the new grant program — created in collaboration with the legislature — ensure that state R&D money goes to solving real-world problems facing students and educators.
Dedicate Capacity For Research And Innovation
Using evidence and data to drive student outcomes takes dedicated capacity. States can solidify their role in facilitating innovation by creating new departments or offices dedicated to helping the research community stay laser-focused on the state’s vision and goals. As of 2022, fewer than half of state education departments had a staff person whose job it was to support research activities.
In 2022, under then-Deputy State Superintendent Andrew Smith, North Carolina expanded the duties of its Office of Innovation to also oversee and administer education R&D. The newly-created Office of Learning and Research convenes key staff every month to review and approve research requests. This vetting requires researchers to propose projects that align with the state’s goals, and when their project is complete, they must publish a summary of their findings that includes actionable advice for educators.
Empower Local District Leaders
High-performing states empower district leaders to implement research findings by testing solutions and developing effective instructional models. No one has to do this work alone. States and districts can develop relationships and community partnerships with schools, non-profits, universities, and other stakeholders to ensure that evidence-based practices are embedded in teacher professional development, teacher training, and instructional practice.
One of the best examples I’ve seen of this in action occurred in Tennessee under then-Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn. Concerned about lagging literacy rates in the state, the Tennessee Department of Education and the University of Tennessee came together to establish a reading research center in 2022 to study the state’s literacy programs. That project resulted in revised state literacy programs that incorporated research-backed teaching methods. Coupled with new high-quality instructional materials, tutoring, and summer school programs, the state saw the reading proficiency of its third-graders jump 8 percentage points between 2021 and 2023. For the most recent NAEP results, 32 percent of Tennessee fourth graders achieved proficiency, surpassing the national average. Eighth graders saw even greater progress, with 32 percent scoring proficient – a four-point increase from 2022. While there is clearly more work to do, this growth is significant.
When States Lead, Kids Succeed
Not every state can see such remarkable progress in such a short amount of time. But the steps taken in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Utah show that states making a concerted and sustained effort to prioritize education R&D can dramatically alter students’ lives for the better.
The strategies I’m recommending will not solve every problem in education, but they can help states take key steps to implement innovative, research-based approaches to education. In the end, that’s the type of intentional leadership that will benefit all students.
*This report was built on a set of State & Local Education R&D task forces led by ALI coalition members InnovateEDU and EducationCounsel.