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ALSDE Update: The Plan Is Working
Dr. Eric Mackey, Alabama State Superintendent of Education
Each year, it seems like the summer break goes by just a little bit faster. And that’s ok because there’s a lot to celebrate about the school year behind us and to look forward to about the school year ahead. This past year had its challenges, but overall, our students have thrived in many areas. One of those areas is reading and I am thrilled to share some exciting news about the progress Alabama students have made in reading.
First, it appears the hard work and dedication from our schools, teachers, and families are paying off. In 2024, Alabama’s third graders made incredible strides in reading. The percentage of students reading at the expected level by the end of third grade increased by 8 percentage points in the 2023-24 school year, a significant boost from the 2022-23. And YES, those gains were made with the exact same standards, cut score, and test. We did make Alabama’s standards more rigorous in the 2021-2022 school year. When we incorporated the new standards we added phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Whenever you shift standards the cut score is adjusted, just as it was in 2021. However, 2022-23 and 2023-24 were an “apples-to-apples” comparison, and I am proud of the accomplishments Alabama students made during that time. This deserves to be applauded.
We’ve seen the number of students reading below grade level drop from over 9,000 to under 5,000. This shows a real and meaningful improvement in our students’ reading skills. Our success didn’t come from just wishful thinking, quick fixes, or smoke and mirrors. It’s the result of a well-thought-out plan and a lot of hard work. Here’s how we’ve been making a difference:
Investing in Better Instruction:
Governor Ivey and the Alabama Legislature have invested over $100 million annually to support the Alabama Reading Initiative. This funding helps train thousands of teachers in effective reading instruction based on the “science of reading” LETRS training. Our schools now have dedicated reading coaches for grades K-3 and reading specialists who focus on helping schools that need extra support.
Early Identification and Support:
We’re catching reading challenges early. By identifying struggling readers as early as kindergarten and creating intervention plans, we ensure students get the help they need right from the start. This early support is key to helping them succeed in their future reading tasks.
Strategic and Targeted Support:
We’ve been especially focused on schools with high levels of economic disadvantage. Many of these schools have shown substantial improvement, proving that highquality teaching can make a difference, even in challenging circumstances.
And these are just some of the changes that have impacted scores in Alabama. The plan is working! As we look forward to this school year, we can feel optimistic about the future. The improved reading scores are not just numbers; they represent the growing abilities of our students. These achievements show that when we use modern data and strategic planning, we can enhance educational outcomes for all students.
We know we are not out of the proverbial “woods” when it comes to reading and math. This is nothing unique to Alabama, every state is working to improve. Knowing this, our commitment to improving reading instruction will continue – along with our efforts to improve numeracy instruction.
We are working to ensure every student gets the support they need to become strong readers and successful learners. By keeping our focus on consistent instruction, targeted tutoring, and ongoing professional development for our educators, we’re setting up our students for success.
Thank you to everyone—students, teachers, parents, and communities—for your hard work and dedication. Together, we are making a real difference in the lives of our students. Here’s to a fantastic new school year filled with growth, learning, and new achievements!
