The Education Reform Act of 1982 is considered the most significant education-related legislation in Mississippi since the creation of the public school system. At the time, Mississippi had next to the highest illiteracy rate in the nation and was the only state without an enforceable school attendance law and state funding for kindergartens, among many other problems. Although many citizens recognized the need for upgrading education, reform measures were defeated in two consecutive legislative sessions. By the spring of 1982, Governor William Winter realized the traditional approach of convincing the legislature to support his education goals was futile and decided to take his message of reform directly to the people of Mississippi. As part of his special-projects staff, our team put together a communications plan to build grassroots support in a series of statewide public meetings featuring local school and community leaders. Their purpose was to build awareness of Mississippi’s substandard public education system and the impact it would have on the state’s future if conditions didn’t change. The meetings generated a flurry of steady media coverage, and throughout Mississippi more and more advocates of reform were stepping forward to make the case for supporting Governor Winter’s plan. The Education Reform Act previously voted down twice by the legislature passed during a special legislative session and came to be known as “The Christmas Miracle of 1982.”