PROJECTS

At the Mississippi Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (MSGLR), we’re proud to champion projects that make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families across our state. From local initiatives that promote reading success to statewide efforts addressing school readiness, attendance, and out-of-school learning, our work is rooted in collaboration and community. We invite you to explore programs and partnerships that are helping Mississippi’s children thrive—one project, one community, one success story at a time.

The Mississippi Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is excited to welcome communities of all sizes into our growing network! With dedicated support and expert guidance, your community can take meaningful steps toward improving early literacy, attendance, and out-of-school time learning.

Communities interested in joining must complete the following steps:

Submit a Letter of Intent expressing plans to apply
Convene a cross-sector, sponsoring coalition with a designated leader
Develop a Community Solutions Action Plan (CSAP) that will be reviewed

If you are interested in joining the Mississippi Campaign for Gravel-Level Reading, please contact amhobart@olemiss.edu to start a conversation. Support and technical assistance will be provided before, during, and after the application process.

"Mind in the Making" - Introduction Video, Produced by Mississippi Public Broadcasting

Mind in the Making workshops are based on a book by Ellen Galinsky. Through extensive research, Galinsky found that there are seven essential life skills that children need to start learning right from birth. In Mind in the Making workshops, participants will grow their capacity to support executive function by focusing on the key skills that students need and promoting those skills so that the whole child grows. Participants will also gain techniques for supporting families and educators in their work as brain-builders for children.

MSGLR partners with CELI staff members and MSGLR campaign communities to deliver Mind in the Making workshops and resources to families, educators, and community leaders. CELI staff and several MSGLR campaign community support staff members are trained Mind in the Making facilitators.

CELI has also partnered with Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) to provide additional Mind in the Making resources to families and educators, including a learning hub hosted on MPB’s official website and a long-form documentary that presents the seven essential life skills to families in an accessible, engaging format. The documentary “Mind in the Making” was nominated in the category of Informational Instructional – Long Form Content for the 2024 Southeast Emmys. The project was funded by the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER) and is available for public viewing at no cost.

MSGLR is proud to partner with CELI and MSGLR campaign communities to offer Parent Academy to families of four-year-olds.

Parent Academy is a free program designed to help parents prepare their four-year-old children for a successful start to kindergarten. The program covers kindergarten-readiness topics such as oral language, early reading, math, and general development. The modules are conducted monthly at a local partner site, focusing on eliminating barriers to access by providing childcare on-site, food and beverage, and activities families may take home and use with their children to support their learning and development. Parents who complete the program will be honored during a graduation ceremony.

Initially developed by the Barksdale Reading Institute (BRI), Parent Academy was successfully implemented in 32 schools statewide between 2016 and 2019. More than 1,400 parents and caregivers attended and graduated from the program. Parent Academy has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents who have participated in the workshops.

“Parent Academy has given me tools and resources I didn’t even know I needed. I’ve been telling my friends about it,” said Christabel Hamilton, an Oxford parent who completed the program in 2020.

The program was relaunched for the 2024-2025 academic year under CELI leadership in partnership with MSGLR communities. CELI will also launch a revised website to provide additional resources to parents participating in the program.

Families gather for Parent Academy sessions at Lafayette Lower Elementary in Oxford, MS and Emerson Preschool in Starkville, MS.

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Mission Acceleration in action at Oxford Intermediate School in Oxford, MS (June 2022)

MSGLR is proud to partner with CELI and select MSGLR campaign communities to offer Mission Acceleration to families of K-5 students.

Mission Acceleration accelerates reading achievement for K-5 students in Mississippi through a high-dosage tutoring program that utilizes an evidence-based, scripted intervention based on the science of teaching reading. The program recruits, trains, and deploys some of Mississippi’s best and brightest college and high school students to serve as reading tutors, which the program refers to as Academic Guides. Partner sites in MSGLR communities across the state host tutoring sessions during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters, with Academic Guides providing tutoring 2-4 days per week for 45-60 minute sessions. As of 2024-2025, communities that have received service include Ashland, Columbus, Hattiesburg, Jackson, Laurel, Long Beach, Oxford, Quitman, Starkville, Tupelo, and Vicksburg.

For college students, the program offers paths to impacting the lives of children while gaining valuable experience in a K-5 setting. Additionally, college students participating in the program may do so as minimum-time AmeriCorps service members. AmeriCorps alumni become top-tier candidates for internships, graduate school, and future employment.

The program has AmeriCorps service members and non-AmeriCorps service members across the state, including college students at the University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University, Jackson State University, William Carey University, and the University of Southern Mississippi.

MSGLR is committed to empowering communities by building capacity, vision, and support to implement effective community plans successfully. We continuously measure and report progress, ensuring accountability and impact. We assist our campaign affiliates in prioritizing family partnerships and support, helping caregivers play an active role in their child’s education. We also connect our campaign affiliates to programs and resources that promote learning and school readiness, strong attendance, and high-quality out-of-school learning opportunities. MSGLR prioritizes well-rounded educational experiences that extend beyond the classroom.