Story perspectives

Mississippi Principal Boosts Student Reading Proficiency to 35%

1/11/2026

Summary

Story summary

Kim Luckett-Langston, principal of Hazlehurst Elementary School in Mississippi, identified that many students were not adequately prepared for school and coined A.B.T. (Ain’t been taught).
Under Luckett-Langston's leadership, the share of students reading at grade level rose from 12% to 35%.
Since 2013, Mississippi moved from 49th to a top 10 state in fourth graders' reading proficiency.
This progress occurred even as national test scores declined elsewhere.

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Story summary

Kim Luckett-Langston, principal of Hazlehurst Elementary School in Mississippi, identified that many students were not adequately prepared for school and coined A.B.T. (Ain’t been taught).
Under Luckett-Langston's leadership, the share of students reading at grade level rose from 12% to 35%.
Since 2013, Mississippi moved from 49th to a top 10 state in fourth graders' reading proficiency.
This progress occurred even as national test scores declined elsewhere.