At Jefferson County Middle School in one of Mississippi's poorest counties, an eighth-grade English teacher's first year has been dominated by preparation for the state's standardised reading test, the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP). Literacy instruction has become heavily reliant on adaptive software programmes rather than teacher-led lessons, reflecting the intense pressure schools face to raise scores in a district where results are currently dire. The situation illustrates a broader tension in American education between fostering genuine reading comprehension and teaching to standardised tests.

Jefferson County has around 6,800 residents, 32% of whom live below the poverty line, and its school district is 98% Black, with most white families opting for private schooling. A practice test at the school scored just 175 out of 700 points, equating to an F grade, and barely half of eighth-graders are currently passing standard is required to pass, with fewer than 15% rated "proficient". Teacher Candace Hamberlin, a 25-year veteran of elementary teaching, now spends two days a week having students work independently on software such as StudySync and i-Ready, despite her own passion lying in classroom-led analysis of texts.