States are not "at war" with teachers. The dramatic language is unhelpful to your argument. The States in question implemented a literacy program of the type t

States are not "at war" with teachers. The dramatic language is unhelpful to your argument. The States in question implemented a literacy program of the type that is normally reserved for kids with minor disabilities whose parents have money to pay for it. While there is always a chance of fraud when political pressure is on, I don't see where there is evidence of it that overtakes the variable of the extra reading support. What this looks like to me is that the States in question found success by implementing a program that essentially is meant to make-up for the fact that impoverished kids are the most likely to receive the least reading instruction and access to books at home. Also, they are the least likely to be spoken to and to be read to from infancy. These are the factors that are at the root of low literacy levels in impoverished communities. If there is success due to a school's effort, these are the fundamental factors that it is overcoming. These kids are entering primary school at a massive literacy disadvantage, from day one. Statistically speaking, they are years behind kids whose parents have been promoting literacy from the cradle. If these States want more success, they need to educate new parents in how to promote language development and literacy from birth.