Wall Street Journal: National Test Scores Are Dropping. This State is Fighting Back

Read The Wall Street Journal article here

Tennessee’s literacy instruction is making headlines due to its significant gains in student achievement after being once ranked among the lowest nationwide. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal highlighted the state’s success in improving student outcomes statewide and examined the strategies that have helped it climb in national education ratings. With a widespread interest in literacy reform, states are eager to learn what is working for Tennessee, which ranked second out of 38 states in math improvement and fourth out of 35 states in reading gains from 2022 to 2025 in the Education Scorecard. 

The Wall Street Journal highlights Tennessee’s investment in high-quality instructional materials and sustained support for educators to implement evidence-based literacy instruction. NIET was a leading provider of support for districts doing this work through the Tennessee Literacy Implementation Network (LIN). Through LIN, NIET facilitates collaborative structures in districts and provides support for implementing high-quality ELA instructional materials.

Districts across the state continue to work with NIET to strengthen literacy instruction through collaborative planning, instructional coaching, classroom learning walks, and teacher leadership. As Tennessee's results earn national recognition, they reinforce a key NIET approach: Lasting student achievement comes from building the capacity of great educators to use high-quality instructional materials.