Carey Wright, known for her remarkable achievements in boosting student literacy rates in Mississippi, has taken on a new challenge in Maryland. Just last week, the state unveiled a draft policy aimed at enhancing literacy for students in fourth grade and beyond, marking another milestone in Wright’s mission to position Maryland as a leader in literacy.
Upon her appointment as state superintendent in July 2024, the State Board of Education set Wright a clear objective: to place Maryland back in the top 10 states for reading as measured by the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) by 2027.
Maryland once thrived in literacy, with fourth graders ranking second and eighth graders sixth nationally in 2013. However, after experiencing a gradual decline, fourth graders fell to a concerning 40th place, and eighth graders dropped to 25th by 2022.
Wright and her team recognize that this ambitious goal will require time, patience, and the most significant hurdle of all—adequate funding.
To propel her literacy initiatives forward, Wright has secured federal grants and various private donations aimed at providing teachers with training on the Science of Reading. However, she needs financial backing from Governor Wes Moore and the state legislature to fully realize her plans.
During the 2025 legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly launched the Academic Excellence Program, a statewide coaching initiative intended for educators in English and math, although it lacked a funding blueprint at the time. Governor Moore’s proposed budget for fiscal 2027 includes provisions for this program, but it still requires legislative approval. Meanwhile, a pilot coaching initiative was activated in Prince George’s County thanks to philanthropic contributions, beginning this month.
“The state needs to commit to making serious, targeted investments in reading,” said Trish Brennan-Gac, executive director of Maryland Reads, a nonprofit focused on enhancing the effectiveness of reading instruction. “Wright is striving to do this through the establishment of a comprehensive coaching program.”
As the superintendent overseeing Mississippi’s public schools, Wright spearheaded initiatives that helped the state ascend from 49th to 10th place in fourth-grade literacy, a journey marked by years of policy reform. This significant turnaround began in 2013 with the enactment of the Literacy-Based Promotion Act, culminating in 2024 when the state reached ninth place for fourth-grade literacy.
“We are certainly halting the severe decline we’ve experienced,” Brennan-Gac noted. “Yet, we still have a lengthy path ahead, but I believe the foundational structures are beginning to take shape to facilitate that transition.”
In January 2024, Wright rolled out a resolution that mandates all Maryland students learn to read through the Science of Reading. This instructional approach emphasizes phonics and is grounded in scientific research about how children learn to read.
Following this, Wright proposed a literacy policy for pre-K to third grade, which passed in October. This policy aims to identify students who are struggling at an early stage and provide professional development opportunities for educators. Elements of the policy will be implemented during the current school year, with additional components scheduled for 2026 and 2027.
On January 27, the Maryland State Department of Education released a draft Adolescent Literacy Plan designed to extend the early education strategies to students from fourth to twelfth grade. Key focus areas in this draft include training for teachers and increasing parental involvement, according to Kymyona Burk, a senior policy fellow at ExcelinEd.
With advancements in literacy among younger students, the adolescent policy represents a vital next step. Traditionally, students are expected to master reading from kindergarten through third grade and then transition to “reading to learn” in higher grades. This shift has often led middle and high school educators to feel unaccountable for teaching reading skills to struggling students, noted Brennan-Gac.
The state has made strides in uplifting students from the lowest performance percentiles, but maintaining these improvements remains a challenge, according to Donald “DJ” Bolger, director of the Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity. Strong policies can facilitate early interventions to ensure no child is left behind, resulting in literacy initiatives designed to serve as safety nets for students before they encounter failure. Nonetheless, challenges linger.
However, there are limits to what Wright and the state can govern through policy alone. “All the strategies that she’s implementing are impactful measures that she can undertake in her role,” Bolger explained. The teaching profession has grown increasingly arduous, often fuelling burnout among educators who feel undervalued despite their extensive training. Thus, the literacy initiatives prioritize teacher coaching and preparation, a crucial element in this process.
Wright is making significant headway, but she requires robust support from the state legislature, educational leaders, and the community, according to Brennan-Gac. Lawmakers have the opportunity to fund statewide coaching initiatives and engage in literacy promotion within their communities, she added. The business sector’s involvement would also be beneficial.
As the state aims to achieve its 2027 goal, both Brennan-Gac and Bolger believe that it is indeed attainable, though NAEP rankings shouldn’t be the sole focus.
The “Mississippi Miracle” demonstrates that significant literacy improvements are possible elsewhere, as seen in other states starting to show progress. However, meaningful change necessitates time.
“It requires strong leadership, effective policies, and flawless implementation, with consistent commitment to progress,” Burk affirmed. “There are avenues to ensure that advancements are sustainable.”
Bolger expressed concerns about potential “expectation games” linked to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reform plan, fearing that its success may overshadow the literacy policy’s long-term success. The expectation for prompt accomplishments could misrepresent the lengthy process involved.
“I hope that we remember the importance of timing, understanding that this is not a sprint; we are essentially navigating a marathon,” he cautioned.
Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com or reach out @KierstenHacker on X.
