The fights currently raging under the banner of "education reform" are nothing compared to those battles fought on the fronts of the "Reading Wars." For decades now, educators, policymakers, parents, and communities have battled fiercely over how best to teach reading--phonics, whole language, or scientifically based reading. While Americans have seen pockets of demonstrable success and progress over the past decade, the overall statistics remain relatively unchanged. If the nation is serious about closing achievement gaps and giving all children--regardless of race, family income, or zip code--the opportunity to truly succeed in school, the nation must translate this knowledge into action by building a commitment for a solution, mobilizing stakeholders, and enacting change. This article looks to successful efforts in other states to boost reading proficiency.