The Barksdale Reading Institute works to
significantly improve Mississippi students’
pre-literacy and reading skills.

Theory of Change

We believe that student success starts with strong, literacy minded leadership in every public school and dedicated, creative, literacy-minded teachers in every classroom.

BRI Programmatic Priorities
To significantly improve the pre-literacy and reading skills of Mississippi's children.
  • School Readiness

    Goal: to improve the quality of early childhood experiences and kindergarten readiness through parental/family engagement

  • Literacy Professional Development

    Goal: to significantly improve the quality of K-3 literacy achievement by designing and disseminating a gold standard of professional development & pre-service education

  • Partnerships

    Goal: to significantly improve the quality of pre-service teacher preparation and grade level reading through state and national partnership

  • School Leadership

    Goal: to strengthen the knowledge base and capacity of school leaders to build a healthy school culture and effectively support literacy development

In The News

Mississippi Ranks No. 1 in Nation for Score Gains on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)