Alabama Education Department Issues School Report Cards

 ========= Old Image Removed =========1636116039 
1517495720

The Alabama Department of Education released school system report cards Thursday, issuing letter grades that assess school performance. Those grades factor in things like test results, graduation rates and attendance.

Grades varied for Birmingham-area school systems. City school systems in Birmingham, Bessemer, Tarrant, Midfield and Fairfield all received Ds.  Shelby County received a B, and Jefferson County scored a C. The Homewood, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook systems all received As.

All of the local school systems with low report card grades had chronic absenteeism.  In Bessemer, 21 percent of the students were absent at least 15 days during the school year. In Homewood, a similar-sized system, only 7.6 percent of the students had chronic absenteeism.

Birmingham Superintendent Lisa Herring discussed the report cards at a morning press conference, joined by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, the school board and system leaders.

“We have strategic, intentional work to do to drive achievement for every school and every child in our organization,” she said.  The grades are a benchmark, she said. “It is not an indicator of where we will remain.”

The ACT Aspire test, used last spring to help determine whether Alabama schools made the grade, will no longer be the measuring stick to determine the state’s grading system.

In July, the state board of education ended its contract with Aspire for testing students in 10th grade, elementary and middle school. The change came after the U.S. Department of Education said the Aspire test was not aligned with Alabama’s education standards.

Alabama law requires that school systems test K-12 students to help gauge the level and quality of education.

This school year, the state department of education is using a test called the “Scantron” to test mathematics and reading in grades 3-8. It measures science achievement in grades 5 and 7. State education officials say the Scantron tests more of what students study and learn in school. High schools will use the ACT college entrance exam  in 11th grade for assessment.

State education officials say the Scantron was administered in the fall and will be administered again in the spring.

 

 

Stressed at work over the election? 3 ways to minimize political tension on the job

Political disagreements have sent workplace incivility to an all-time high this year, costing employers some $2 billion per day in lost productivity. Here’s how to cut down on watercooler fights over today’s election – and its aftermath. 

Here’s how NPR will report the 2024 election results

NPR relies on results and race calls from The Associated Press for presidential races, other federal elections and statewide contests.

Lucas & Arthur Jussen release ‘little diamonds’ EP of lesser-known piano duets

NPR's A Martínez speaks with Dutch brothers Lucas and Arthur Jussen about their new EP, Rêve, featuring piano duets by lesser-known composers influenced by — or rejecting — French Impressionism.

Figures and Dobson are in a heated battle for a redrawn Alabama House district

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama voters will decide who will represent a congressional district that was redrawn after a lengthy legal battle that drew national attention and could provide a rare opportunity for Democrats to flip a seat in the Deep South. Democrat Shomari Figures, a former top aide to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, […]

A wild election is coming to a close — and no one is sure how it will end

From candidate swaps to assassination attempts, the final months of the campaign has been a whirlwind. Here's why the outcome is so consequential.

Trump and allies have primed supporters to falsely believe he has no chance of losing

Many of former President Donald Trump’s supporters don’t believe he lost in 2020. Despite a close race again in 2024, Trump and allies still falsely claim the only way he loses is because of cheating.

More Education Coverage