In recent years, Arkansas has taken bold steps to improve literacy through the R.I.S.E. (Reading Initiative for Student Excellence) Arkansas initiative. As a longtime educator and a doctoral candidate, I focused my dissertation on understanding whether these efforts have made a difference, especially in the high-poverty public schools of the Arkansas Delta.

The Delta region, as identified by the Delta Regional Authority, faces persistent economic and educational challenges. Literacy is at the heart of breaking the cycle of generational poverty and unlocking opportunities for students. My research asked a simple but crucial question: Has R.I.S.E. Arkansas improved reading outcomes for students in our most underserved communities?

The answer is both........

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