Alabama’s public schools made measurable academic progress during the 2024 school year, with gains in third-grade reading proficiency, graduation rates, and college and career readiness. State education leaders say the upward trends signal that recent investments and reforms are having an impact, though achievement gaps persist in some districts.
According to data released by the Alabama State Department of Education and presented during a recent state board work session, 88.4% of third-grade students scored at or above grade level on the spring 2025 Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP) reading test. This improvement comes despite the state raising the minimum passing score from 435 to 444 as part of a phased effort to align student performance with national benchmarks.
State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey noted that although the percentage appears lower than last year’s reported 91%, applying the new cut score retroactively to 2024 data shows that only 86.3% of students would have qualified for promotion under the new standard. That makes this year’s results a clear sign of progress.
Some schools stood out for their exceptional reading scores. Eleven schools across the state reported that 100% of their second- and third-grade students were reading on or above grade level, according to an analysis by AL.com. These schools include:
- Princeton School (Birmingham City)
- Fleeta School (Covington County)
- Kilby Laboratory School (Florence City)
- Eura Brown Elementary (Gadsden City)
- Monte Sano Elementary (Huntsville City)
- Eichold-Mertz School of Math and Science (Mobile County)
- WH Council Traditional School (Mobile County)
- Bear Exploration Center, Forest Avenue Elementary, and Macmillan International School (Montgomery County)
- Chatom Elementary School (Washington County)
Two school districts—Satsuma City and Orange Beach—achieved 100% reading proficiency among third graders, each serving fewer than 120 students in that grade.
Beyond reading, Alabama’s graduation rate for the Class of 2024 reached 91%, tying the state’s all-time high first achieved in 2019, Alabama Daily News reported. The rate had dipped during the pandemic years but has since rebounded.
In another positive sign, 87% of 2024 graduates earned at least one College and Career Readiness (CCR) indicator, setting a new state record. CCR refers to benchmarks that demonstrate a student’s preparedness for life after high school. These indicators include earning qualifying ACT scores, completing dual enrollment credits, obtaining industry-recognized credentials, enlisting in the military, or completing career technical education pathways.
The gap between students who graduated and those who earned a CCR indicator narrowed to just 4%, the smallest since the measures were implemented. Beginning with the Class of 2026, students will be required to meet at least one CCR benchmark in order to receive a diploma.
Despite the encouraging trends, wide disparities remain across districts and schools. Mackey indicated that, although growth is improving across the board, there are still individual districts where significant improvement is needed. In Lanett City and Sumter County, only 66% of third graders met the reading benchmark. Both districts are among the lowest-performing in the state.
Officials say many factors contribute to these variations, including school leadership, teacher retention, access to quality curricula, and attendance. Although Alabama has one of the lowest chronic absenteeism rates in the country, which refers to students missing a significant number of school days — often 10% or more — chronic absenteeism remains a challenge in certain communities.
Yellowhammer News recently reported that students whose scores fall between the minimum passing score of 444 and the proficiency target of 473 are being closely monitored by educators. Although they are considered to be on grade level, their performance may indicate a risk of falling behind in future grades.
Education officials say continued progress will depend on closing these gaps while maintaining high standards. The next planned increase to the ACAP reading cut score will occur in spring 2027, raising the bar further as Alabama works to improve literacy and readiness outcomes statewide.
Local districts are expected to release more detailed school-level performance data in the coming weeks. You may view the Alabama State Department ACAP report here.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
