Other states have literacy policies too, but they are often weaker than what Mississippi implemented. For example, a 2023 paper from Michigan State University researchers John Westall and Amy Cummings found that 41 states and the District of Columbia had early literacy policies, but only 12 could be considered truly comprehensive. Many states had the superficial elements of a literacy plan, but they lacked requirements that all districts adopt high-quality instructional materials, screen all students for dyslexia and take dramatic action for kids who continue to struggle to read. Critically, Westall and Cummings found that only states with truly comprehensive policies saw student learning gains.