The National Assessment of Educational Progress is often referred to as the Nation’s Report Card. For most of the states, this hasn’t been a report card you would want to show anyone. But four southern states stand out because they have shown improvement.

Alabama and Louisiana had math and reading scores higher than they were in 2019, before Covid. Mississippi fourth graders topped the country in math and reading. If you look at recovery statistics, Alabama was first in math recovery and third in reading recovery. Louisiana Mississippi, and Tennessee also did well.

Frederick Hess asks and answers why we are seeing this “southern surge.” First, these states have a commitment to basic skills, especially phonics-based early literacy instruction. And they also have rigorous classroom materials.

A second reason for the “southern surge” goes back to the lockdowns. These states reopened schools during Covid much earlier than blue states that remained tightly shuttered. By September 2020, most schools in Mississippi and Tennessee were open for in-person instruction, and half of the Louisiana schools were open.

He also asks and answers another question. Why haven’t we heard about this southern surge? Teaching basic skills in schools isn’t too interesting for the current news cycle. But he also points to the reality there is still an elitist contempt for red states, and especially the Deep South. Add to that the inconvenient lesson about school spending. These states get a significant bang for a smaller buck than many blue states.

We know what works: teaching the fundamentals and using good educational materials. These states have figured it out and can be a lesson to the other states in this country.