Mississippi's phonics-based education reforms prove Chicago's continued failure is inexcusable
Source: "PASTOR COREY BROOKS: Phonics fixed Mississippi’s schools—so why is Chicago still failing its kids? | Fox News." February 17, 2026. www.foxnews.com
The Gist
The author argues that Chicago has no excuse for its failing schools because Mississippi proved that even poor states can dramatically improve education through phonics-based teaching and accountability measures. If Mississippi can go from near-worst to top-performing, Chicago should be able to do the same with its greater resources.
Conclusion
Chicago's continued educational failure is inexcusable because Mississippi has proven that dramatic school improvement is possible even with limited resources through evidence-based reforms
Premises
- Mississippi transformed from 49th to 9th nationally in fourth-grade reading through the 2013 Literacy-Based Promotion Act requiring phonics instruction
- Mississippi fourth graders now rank first nationally in reading and math when adjusted for demographics and poverty
- Chicago schools like Dulles Elementary continue failing with only 3.9% math proficiency and 13.8% reading proficiency despite greater resources
- Mississippi succeeded through clear standards, teacher retraining in phonics, accountability measures, and retention policies based on evidence rather than ideology
- Chicago remains trapped in bureaucracy, DEI mandates, and resistance to proven methods while making excuses about poverty
Assumptions
- Phonics-based instruction is the primary cause of Mississippi's educational improvements
- Educational methods that work in Mississippi can be successfully replicated in Chicago
- Chicago has significantly more resources available than Mississippi for education
- Bureaucracy and ideological resistance are the main barriers to Chicago's educational improvement
- Poverty alone does not prevent educational success, as evidenced by Mississippi's gains