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The 74 published an opinion article arguing that inaccurate parent perceptions and limited reporting on program results can obstruct efforts to improve literacy. It advocates outcomes-based contracts between districts and education providers, while citing a WestEd evaluation and a literacy contract in South Bend, Indiana.
The 74 published an opinion article arguing that efforts to address reading achievement must begin with clearer information about student progress and the results of school programs. The piece calls for districts and education providers to use outcomes-based contracts that connect some payments to agreed measures of student learning, rather than paying chiefly for services delivered.
The article points to a Gallup poll in which roughly 88% of parents reportedly said their child performed at or above grade level in reading and math. It contrasts that figure with the National Assessment of Educational Progress finding that 31% of fourth graders were proficient readers. The opinion argues that these figures illustrate a gap between family perceptions and measured achievement, though the source does not provide the poll’s date, survey wording or sample details.
The authors also focus on spending and accountability. They say contracted education services account for about 11% of school expenditures, or roughly $100 billion annually, and argue that districts can track spending more readily than whether purchased programs improve learning. The article says reading and math achievement remain below pre-pandemic levels, but does not give specific assessment years or rates for that comparison.
Under the proposed contracting model, districts and providers would set goals, decide how progress will be measured and reviewed, and agree on responses if students do not make expected gains. The article cites a WestEd evaluation that found the approach strengthened collaboration and shared accountability and, under the right conditions, contributed to improved student outcomes. It also says participating districts did not spend more than under traditional contracts and often received more implementation support. The piece identifies a recently signed South Bend, Indiana, literacy contract as a local example, with a portion of payment tied to measurable results.
Why Contract Terms Affect Literacy
The argument connects two issues that are often discussed separately: whether families receive an accurate picture of student achievement and whether school spending produces measurable learning gains. If parents do not know a child is behind in reading, they may lack the information needed to seek help. If districts cannot judge whether a purchased program is working, they may have little basis for changing or ending it.
Outcome-linked contracts could give districts and providers a shared framework for evaluating progress. They also raise practical questions about choosing fair measures and accounting for factors outside a provider’s control. The article presents the model as a way to make accountability more concrete, not as proof that every program using it will raise literacy results.
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From Achievement Data to Contracts
The opinion piece frames the proposed contracting shift against its account of below-pre-pandemic reading and math performance and large public education expenditures. It argues that reporting activity—such as whether a service was delivered—is not the same as showing that students learned more. The distinction matters when districts decide how to use limited budgets and explain results to families and taxpayers.
The source describes outcomes-based contracting as an approach in which expectations and measures are set before a provider begins work. It says the WestEd research found positive features when the model was implemented under suitable conditions, while also noting that its findings do not establish that the approach works in every setting. South Bend is cited as one district putting the model into practice for literacy services.
“Families cannot address challenges they do not fully understand, and schools cannot solve problems they are unwilling to name.”
— The 74 opinion article
Evidence and Implementation Questions
The source does not identify the authors of the opinion article in the supplied material, provide the publication date, or link to detailed methods for the cited Gallup poll and WestEd evaluation. It also does not specify the assessment years behind the fourth-grade proficiency figure or the claim that achievement remains below pre-pandemic levels.
Details of the South Bend agreement—including its provider, contract value, outcome measures, payment share tied to results and any results to date—are not included. The article’s claims about costs and outcomes-based contracting should be read as its account of the cited research; the source material does not provide enough detail to assess how broadly those findings apply across districts.
Tracking Results in South Bend
The next evidence to watch is how South Bend defines and reports student results under its literacy contract, including whether the agreed measures are published and how payment changes with performance. The article does not state when those results will be available.
More broadly, the proposal depends on districts setting clear goals before services begin and sharing progress with families and communities. The opinion calls for that scrutiny to cover both literacy and numeracy, but it does not describe a national policy change or a timetable for wider adoption.
Key Questions
What is the article’s main argument?
It argues that improving literacy requires clearer communication about student achievement and more transparency about whether education programs improve learning.
What are outcomes-based contracts?
They are agreements in which districts and providers set goals and measures in advance, with some payment tied to results rather than only to services delivered.
What evidence does the article cite?
It cites a Gallup poll about parent perceptions, NAEP’s finding that 31% of fourth graders were proficient readers, and a WestEd evaluation of outcomes-based contracting. The supplied source does not include full methods or dates for those findings.
What is known about the South Bend contract?
The article says South Bend, Indiana, recently entered a literacy contract with implementation expectations and a portion of payment tied to measurable student results. It does not provide the provider, contract amount, precise measures or results.
Source: the74million.org
