The latest results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress — the "Nation’s Report Card" — showing stagnant or declining student achievement have prompted renewed calls from commentators and some education officials for a return to evidence-based reading instruction.
Opinion writers and education advocates cited recent gains in several Southern states and in specific districts and charter networks as examples of sustained improvement tied to systematic approaches to literacy instruction. In an opinion column, Robert Pondiscio of the American Enterprise Institute argued that schools that maintain structured, knowledge-rich curricula and high expectations outperform those that adopt newer, less-evaluated pedagogical trends.
Pondiscio and other commentators pointed to analyses that show Alabama and Louisiana as the only states with math or reading scores higher today than in 2019, and highlighted Mississippi as an unexpectedly strong performer for Black and low-income students. Pondiscio credited perseverance with proven practices — notably systematic phonics, widespread teacher training in reading instruction and early interventions — for those gains.
The column and related reporting also cited charter networks and local districts that have documented results. Success Academy, a New York City charter system, was described as reporting that more than four in five of its students score at or above grade level in reading despite serving a majority of low-income Black and Hispanic students. In Steubenville, Ohio, journalist Emily Hanford documented a decades-long commitment to a reading model known as Success for All, which the reporting says has produced near-universal third-grade reading proficiency in the district.
Those advocates drew a contrast between sustained, research-aligned practices and approaches known as "balanced literacy," associated with educators such as Lucy Calkins and guided reading systems like those developed by Fountas and Pinnell. Critics, including Hanford, have argued that some balanced-literacy practices prioritized student interest and contextual guessing over systematic phonics instruction, a set of approaches sometimes derided in commentary as "vibe-based literacy." Proponents of balanced literacy say their methods emphasize comprehension and engagement; critics say they have not produced consistent results for struggling readers.
The debate has entered policy conversations. Pondiscio wrote that U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has promoted a "back to basics" emphasis, pointing to Southern states' progress as evidence. In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams's "NYC Reads" initiative, which city officials say aligns instruction with the science of reading, has been credited in city reports with modest gains in third- and fourth-grade reading scores this summer, particularly among Black and Hispanic students.
Education researchers and policy analysts emphasize the distinctions between evidence and opinion in interpreting both national assessment data and local success stories. NAEP results are reported at the national and state levels and can mask variation within states, districts and schools. Analysts also note that sustained improvement typically involves multiple coordinated changes — curriculum selection, professional development, screening and intervention systems, and resource alignment — rather than a single program.
Observers also warned of political risks. The opinion column urged that effective interventions not be discarded when political administrations change, noting past examples in which promising reforms were altered or abandoned for ideological or managerial reasons. City and state officials involved in reading initiatives said implementation timelines and continued investment would determine whether early gains hold.
The NAEP release has renewed attention on literacy instruction methods and local models that officials and advocates say show what is achievable when schools adopt and sustain practices aligned with reading research. Policy debates are likely to continue as educators, elected officials and researchers weigh the latest assessment data against the diversity of approaches in classrooms across the country.