How Rankin Elementary is Using Reading Horizons to Help 63% of Its Most Struggling Readers Make Gains

KAYSVILLE, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mississippi has become an unlikely national model for literacy reform. In recent years, the state has recorded some of the most significant reading gains in the country, drawing attention from educators, policymakers, and researchers looking for proof that the tide on literacy can turn. On April 17, Rankin Elementary opened its doors for a firsthand look at structured literacy instruction in action.

Kids who would never raise their hand to read aloud are volunteering in class. It means everything when we see a spark of learning reignited in a child.

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Rankin Elementary uses Reading Horizons® Elevate as an intervention program for Tier 3 students, those who are two or more grade levels behind in reading and require intensive, targeted support beyond general classroom instruction. Among fourth and fifth-graders who have used the program for at least two years, approximately 63% of Tier 3 students demonstrated measurable growth on District Common Assessments and diagnostic assessments aligned to the state's MAP assessment levels, with some students moving up multiple levels. Tier 3 students are those with the most significant reading gaps, typically requiring intensive intervention to make progress, which makes growth at this level both difficult to achieve and significant to measure.

"These results are significant. When a child in Tupelo learns to read, it changes what's possible for them. Reading is not just a skill. It is the door that opens everything else: learning, opportunity, a future,” said Dr. Taylor Sparks, Principal, Rankin Elementary School. “It means kids will graduate, go on to college or a career, and become healthy, productive adults in this community. That is what we are really working toward here in Tupelo.”

The instruction students receive through Reading Horizons® Elevate is structured, systematic, and deliberately hands-on. Rather than asking struggling readers to simply "sound out" a word, the program gives students a concrete, repeatable formula for decoding, a marking system that teaches them to identify vowels, consonants, and phonetic patterns and work through a word the same way every time. In each session, students decode words on individual erasable boards, physically marking up letters as they apply the rules they have learned. Lessons are also designed with built-in transitions so students are not sitting passively for the duration of a 30-to-40-minute intervention block, and games are woven throughout to sustain engagement. For students who have repeatedly struggled and disengaged from reading instruction, that combination — structure, movement, and a method they can trust — makes a meaningful difference.

“What stands out beyond the numbers is the confidence,” said Laura Sheffield, Instructional Coach, Rankin Elementary School. ”Students who used to struggle with multi-syllable words are now tackling them on their own. Kids who would never raise their hand to read aloud are volunteering in class. It means everything when we see a spark of learning reignited in a child.”

The national backdrop underscores why this work matters. According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, just over 30% of fourth graders across the country are reading proficiently.

“As a former teacher, I know firsthand what it means when a struggling student finally breaks through. What is happening at Rankin Elementary is not an accident,” says Katrina Baines, Partner Consultant, Reading Horizons. “It is what happens when a community decides that every child deserves to learn to read and educators are given the tools and support to make that happen. The outcomes here are proof of that commitment.”

About Reading Horizons

For over 40 years, Reading Horizons® has partnered with educators to combat illiteracy through effective, research-based reading instruction. Grounded in Structured Literacy, Reading Horizons provides Pre-K–12 core literacy, K–5 supplemental foundational and language literacy, and K–12 intervention solutions that help all students become confident readers. Learn more at readinghorizons.com and listen to Literacy Talks, a podcast exploring fresh perspectives on literacy, learning, and teaching.

For more information, visit www.readinghorizons.com.

About Tupelo Public Schools

The Tupelo Public School District (TPSD), located in Tupelo, Mississippi, serves approximately 7,100 students across 14 schools from pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade and has been an A-rated district by MDE the last four years. Committed to academic excellence, TPSD provides a comprehensive educational experience that emphasizes college and career readiness, innovative STEM opportunities, fine arts, and athletics. With a strong focus on student achievement, safety, and community partnerships, the district prepares students with the skills and citizenship needed to succeed in a global society.

For more information, visit www.tupeloschools.com.