MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama’s public school students showed improvement on three key measures of academic success, according to data released Thursday by the department of education.
The data, shared with the state school board during its work session in Montgomery, showed gains in third-grade reading, high school graduation rates and college and career readiness indicators.
Third-grade reading results
The percentage of third graders who met the benchmark score on the spring reading test is 88.4%, State Superintendent Eric Mackey told board members. That means that just under 6,500 third-graders could be at risk of being retained in the third grade.
The third-grade reading test is a part of the Alabama Literacy Act, first passed in 2019. However, 2024 was the first year students who were not reading sufficiently were at risk of being held back. Ultimately, fewer than 500 students – out of more than 55,000 – were retained because of reading deficiencies.
Mackey reminded board members that they raised the required passing score – from 435 to 444 – on the reading test in October, making it more difficult to compare last year’s results to this year’s.
He cautioned that looking only at the rate – slightly lower than last year’s reported 91.6% – does not portray the improvement.
“If we take the current cut score and then apply it to last year’s data…we would have seen growth,” Mackey said.
To provide an apples-to-apples comparison, Mackey presented previous years’ results recalculated using the new 444 benchmark score, shown on the chart below. [Click here if you’re unable to see the chart.]
The chart shows the percentage of third graders who reached the 444 score has increased year over year.
Despite the statewide progress, results varied widely by district. Only 66% of third graders in Lanett City and Sumter County met the benchmark, while 100% of students in both Orange Beach and Satsuma City did.
Board member Tracie West expressed concern about persistent gaps.
“We’re now three years in…so I think it’s time for these really deeper conversations about what is happening with school leadership in specific schools that we are not seeing marked improvement,” she said.
Mackey said those conversations are underway, with specialized state department staff working to support struggling schools.
Reaching the cut score on the reading test is one way a third-grader can demonstrate they are reading “sufficiently,” meaning well enough to move on to the fourth grade. Students that do not reach the cut score are given other ways – including retesting or collecting a portfolio showing they are reading well enough to move on.
Exceptions are also made for certain extenuating circumstances.
Graduation and college and career readiness rates
Mackey also announced that the graduation and college and career readiness rates improved. The graduation rate for the class of 2024 reached 91% – tying the state’s highest rate, first achieved by the class of 2019.
Graduation rates dipped slightly from 2020 through 2022 due to the pandemic but began to climb again in 2023.
The increase may seem small but it means hundreds more students earning diplomas, Mackey said.
The class of 2024 also set a new high for college and career readiness, with 87% of students earning at least one CCR indicator.
One longstanding concern has been the gap between the graduation rate – how many students were awarded a diploma – and the CCR rate – how many students showed evidence of being ready for college or career.
The gap between students who earned a diploma and those who met a CCR benchmark is now just 4% – the narrowest since the measures began.
Readiness indicators were introduced after the state dropped the high school exit exam more than a decade ago. Students earn CCR indicators by completing benchmarks like ACT scores, dual enrollment credits, military enlistment, industry credentials or career tech pathways.
Beginning with the class of 2026, earning at least one CCR indicator will be required to graduate.