McRae: The Mississippi Miracle explained
By Treasurer David McRae
In 2012, Mississippi was ranked dead last in education. For decades, our state struggled with literacy and test scores, spending millions of dollars on remedial education while too many of our children were left unprepared for higher education and the workforce.
Fast forward to today, and Mississippi is overall ranked 16th in the nation for education, the highest we’ve ever achieved. What’s more, every corner of our state is benefiting from the boost. In fact, Quality Counts ranked Mississippi number two for closing the fourth grade reading achievement gap between students in low-income families and their wealthier peers.
This didn’t happen by chance. More than a decade ago, Mississippi made the decision to completely rethink how we teach and how we prepare students to succeed. We doubled down on phonics, strengthened teacher training, and ensured our schools had the support they needed to focus on literacy from the very beginning.
The results speak for themselves. While other states saw test scores fall after COVID, Mississippi’s students continued to rise. Across the country, this turnaround has become known as the Mississippi Miracle, but those of us who live here know it wasn’t a miracle at all. It was the product of hard work, smart policy, and a belief in the potential of every Mississippi child.
Naturally, with test scores rising and opportunities expanding, more Mississippi families are thinking long-term about college, careers, and financial stability. That’s where the State Treasury can step in and help.
We offer two simple, powerful ways to save for the future. First, the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (MPACT) Plan lets families lock in today’s tuition rates and prepay for college.
Meanwhile, the Mississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) Program (which now accepts Venmo, Paypal, and crypto) allows families to start saving with as little as $25. Funds can be used for college, career training, or even K–12 education expenses.
These programs make it easier for Mississippi families to turn today’s success into tomorrow’s opportunity.
The Mississippi Miracle proves what we’ve always known: when Mississippians work together with focus, faith, and determination, there’s nothing we can’t achieve. Let’s keep pushing forward together.
Mississippi Treasurer David McRae is the 55th Treasurer for the State of Mississippi. In this role, he helps manage the state’s cash flow, oversees College and Career Savings Mississippi, and has returned more than $140 million in unclaimed money to Mississippians.
