Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Barksdale Reading Institute Closing

 The Barksdale Reading Institute announced on Facebook: 

The Barksdale Reading Institute will bring to close its more than two decades of early-literacy work in Mississippi, Kelly Butler, CEO of the Institute, announced today.
For over twenty-two years BRI has worked hand-in-hand with Mississippi's schools of education, public schools and pre-k programs, and thousands of dedicated teachers, and has played a critical role in the significant improvement in reading scores in the state. In 2000, Mississippi students ranked 49th on fourth-grade reading scores as measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). In 2019, Mississippi ranked 26th, at the national average, and is among the top performers in accelerating growth for children in poverty and for children of color.
BRI was established in 2000 as the result of a $100-million commitment by Jackson native Jim Barksdale and his late-wife, Sally, a native of Hazlehurst. From the outset the Barksdales stressed that their funding was not a gift but an investment. Recently, Mr. Barksdale said, "Looking at the increased NAEP scores, which I am confident BRI has contributed to, and at the tens of thousands of students whose reading skills have improved significantly, I'd say that's a pretty good return on our investment."
The institute has consistently advocated an explicit, systematic approach to teaching the foundational skills of reading and writing. Through its work it designed and tested a number of models, introducing a literacy block into each school day that incorporated evidence-based practices and expert coaching coupled with high-quality professional development of teachers. This model went to scale in 2013 with passage of the Literacy-Based Promotion Act, Mississippi’s 3rd-grade reading law.
BRI leveraged its resources to bring to Mississippi the top literacy experts in the country and many have continued to support and guide the work. BRI’s CEO has served with Carey Wright, Mississippi’s Superintendent of Education, on the Advisory Board of the Southeast Regional Education Lab, the research arm of the U.S. Department of Education through the Institute of Education Sciences.
BRI has approached its work through partnerships, believing that work done in collaboration with educators at every level of the system has the greatest impact. Responding to inquiries from more than 20 states about its work in pre-service teacher preparation, BRI initiated The Path Forward, a multi-state project in collaboration with The Belk Foundation (NC) and The Hunt Institute (NC). Six state teams were selected for Cohort 1 in 2021, including Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio.
Most of the Institute’s educational assets will live on in BRI’s Reading Universe through its partnership with two nationally recognized organizations: WETA, the flagship PBS station in Washington, D.C. and First Book, an international organization focused on building a pathway out of poverty through education equity. As BRI closes the book next summer on its Mississippi operations, WETA and First Book will launch the initial prototype of BRI’s Reading Universe, which aims to be the premier source of information about teaching reading and writing to students in grades pre-K through 6th grade. “Teaching more children to read and write proficiently is the number 1 challenge facing our nation’s schools,” said Kareem Weaver, an expert adviser to Reading Universe and a long-time advocate for literacy and civil rights. “Reading Universe will give every teacher, every school, and every district free, instant access to authoritative, engaging and video-rich information about what it really takes to teach reading well.”


34 comments:

Anonymous said...

If it is so good, why doesn’t the state or fed. Govt take it over?

Anonymous said...

I don't think his ROI was very good. Nice thought though.

Kingfish said...

Heaven forbid a man should spend part of his fortune on trying to make his state a better place.

County Cletus said...

If it works so well why is it closing. If it works so well why can’t many children of the age of 17 read or write well. Something tells me it wasn’t good at all and the leader ship was stealing money from the school like they do in all of these school districts.

Anonymous said...

State refused to participate

Anonymous said...

I know a lot of people are disappointed as they made a lot of money as a result of this generous program.

Anonymous said...

No way they spent the whole $100 million.

Anonymous said...

They spent a lot of money, but I’m pretty sure they did some good.

Anonymous said...

Barksdale from The Wire/Baltimore?

Anonymous said...

It's hard to imagine having spent so much money for so little thanks.

Anonymous said...

Some limited good was done but for the money it was a huge flop.

Anonymous said...

I wonder how many condos on the Redneck Riviera were funded through their generosity?

Did I read that correctly? said...

100 Million dollars down the drain. Hope Barksdale feels good for his "collegiate attempt". I thank God my parents stayed on my ass as a kid in public school. JPS to be exact. Now nearing 60 with no kids ever (have yet to receive a free ticket to the Maury Povich show in a Father's Day card) and as a property owner I am footing the bill for the public schools with a portion of my property taxes. It's taxation without representation and there is NO reason for a stupid kid on my street. If there is a stupid kid on my street then by damn I'm really not getting what I am paying for. So what do we do? Obviously throwing 100 million dollars at the problem didn't work. Maybe 200 million dollars to Chowke and Sister Rukia would certainly work, right? BULLSHIT. We ALL need to get involved in these kids learning. "Oh well I'm not getting paid to make sure little Johnny does good in school" BULLSHIT one way or another stupid little Johnny is costing you money! So Johnny, how are you doing in school? Lemme see that report card. You're flunking reading and math. What's the problem? What can WE do about that, cause we ARE going to do something about it because I am paying for it! I can only HOPE that you would consider thanking me later on in your life, and I can only HOPE that I can be proud to exclaim what you have done with your life someday.

Anonymous said...

KF - I’m sure some of your readers are actually reasonably intelligent. However, the collective stupidity of the Bubba types responding to this particular blog post is mind boggling. But then again, these guys are simply products of the ignorant population that has resided and continues to reside in the great state of Mississippi.

Anonymous said...

Barksdale Reading Institute was and is a huge success. It improved teaching skills and learning skills for thousands of teachers and tens on thousands young readers. BRI spawned many new learning programs that will continue. My hats off to Jim Barksdale and his family!

Anonymous said...

damn 12:57 - double up on your meds today. Good thing you didn't have kids.

Anonymous said...

A former teacher from Byram left to teach at BRI. Antoinette Raggio (spelling may be wrong); my son Loved her as I still remember him correcting me while he was in kindergarten or first grade to Read with Expression! Thank you all who served to make Mississippi’s better place!

Anonymous said...

I'm not 12:57 but he is not wrong 1:54.

People without kids pay for the ferals that refuse to participate in education and continue to be on the government dole.

That said, I don't fault Barksdale for using his money how ever he chose, and its a more noble effort than many.

LBJ created this Great Society and we just have to live in it.

Anonymous said...

Except that wasn't and isn't his only objective Kingfish.

Anonymous said...

What the Barksdales did with some of their money should be an inspiration to all of us especially those of us who spend so much hot air complaining about the sad state of our young people. Do something positive before you complain.
Any attack on illiteracy should be applauded, not criticized as a "waste of money". Some kid's life is much better because somebody gave a damn. I can think of a lot of worse ways to spend money.

Anonymous said...

Because no matter how hard you try, no matter how much money is thrown at the problem, you just can't fix stupid.

Anonymous said...

12:57 Your time would be better spent on your usual job looking for all those stolen votes and those transistors implanted in vaccine recipients.

Anonymous said...

I will repeat myself, until some type of meaningful discipline is installed in Mississippi schools, nothing will change. You cannot teach someone who will not sit in their desk. In some counties you, as a teacher or assistant, is not allowed to touch a child -- ever, no matter what.

So, that many cannot read is understandable. Some come to kindergarten or first grade in our state that literally do not know their name. But, many do learn and it is impossible to adequately measure how much this helped with some teachers who will continue to teach better because of this effort.

So I say a big THANK YOU Mr. Barksdale for trying to help our youth read and have a better future.

Anonymous said...

The comments demonstrate why it is a waste of time and money to do anything for this state.

Anonymous said...

How can anyone call an effort to help children a waste of time or money? We waste money on everything, saving the future of a fellow human being is never a waste. The Barksdales could simply live a lavish wasteful lifestyle spending their money on profanity and luxury and no one would know or care. But they chose to help somebody less fortunate so their efforts are questioned. Remember, did Jesus Christ WASTE his life dying trying to save evil humanity?

Anonymous said...

Sadly, he spent an enormous amount of money treating the symptom (reading) instead of the cause (the breakdown of the family).

Anonymous said...

Paying for schools is socialism, plain and simple.

It has never worked.

Anonymous said...

This comment is not directed toward the children. My comment is directed towards the parents of the children that you cannot do anything with. They bore them and those kids are incapable of blending into a functioning society because of the “it takes a village” ideology. It just doesn’t work that way when the damn village is full of thugs and women that know nothing but lying on their back to have more kids. Oh, how did that great society human social engineering experiment work out? Not….too ….Good

Anonymous said...

Sounds like it was a noble effort. I suppose the overall tide of evil, gangster culture, strays, and enablement from the communists have become too strong for a difference to be made anymore. Sad.

Anonymous said...

12:52 Paying for schools is not socialism, it's common sense. If you believe millions of people with the right to be armed will simply accept a hopeless life as ignorant cattle to be forever herded by their educated masters you are extremely unrealistic. But then again, maybe you don't believe THEY have a right to be armed. I wonder.

Anonymous said...

Hey 12:52 If paying for schools is socialism, what is paying for prisons?
Does IT work?

Anonymous said...

8:59 makes a good point.
Prison does not work.
We should apply the death penalty more often to save tax payers on that rehabilitation farce.

Anonymous said...

@10:45 - how about courts of law. Are trials and public defenders too expensive for taxpayers? Maybe we can just have a volunteer group of noblemen, maybe elders from the church, ride around and enforce their principles on the general public. We will require all the women to wear modest clothing and always be accompanied by a man to protect them. Schools are also a racket, especially for girls since they will require a man to take care of them anyways. I’m seeing lots of savings to the taxpayers in this new utopia.

Anonymous said...

There is not way to spin it but a failure. A lot of money spend and little to show for it. It was Barksdale's money to waste so we do have a say in how he spends i.



Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.