Reading
Kids’ reading scores have soared in Deep South states
Mississippi went from being ranked the second-worst state in 2013 for fourth-grade reading to 21st in 2022. Louisiana and Alabama, meanwhile, were among only three states to see modest gains in fourth-grade reading during the pandemic.
How a Birmingham shop owner brings memories to life through books
Jim Reed has collected books and writings for more than 40 years and believes books keep memories alive.
Alabama is last in math. Politicians look for ways to close gap
Fifth graders could be required to pass a new math test to advance to the sixth grade. One lawmaker is proposing legislation for the 2022 Alabama Session.
At Summer Reading Camps, Birmingham Students And Teachers Prepare For Alabama’s New Literacy Law
Alabama joins 16 other states and Washington D.C. where third graders must pass a reading test -- or risk being held back. That’s why this summer, teachers at Birmingham City Schools began coaching their students on their reading skills to get a head start on the new retention policy.
Reading Proficiency, Equal Pay Among Bills Passed in Alabama Legislature
Lawmakers approved a slew of bills this week, which is expected to be the last one of the 2019 session. Measures on equal pay and holding back third-graders who don't read proficiently were among those passed in the push toward the session's end.
Fighting Adult Illiteracy, One Reader at a Time
Imagine not being able to read an email from your family. Or a job application. Or medication labels. How about a simple road sign? Adult illiteracy is a complex, stubborn problem. Based on conservative estimates, in the five-county area around Birmingham alone, there are more than 90,000 adults who have trouble reading and writing. There are almost as many reasons as there are people.
Carsen And Lindley Talk Alabama Schools’ Low Test Scores
School test results have been in the news across Alabama lately, often next to words like "sobering" and "not on track." So what's going on? WBHM's News Director Rachel Osier Lindley sits down with education reporter Dan Carsen to shed light on a complex and heated issue. Carsen just returned from a conference put on by NPR's Ed Team, and part of that "Ed Summit" dealt with testing. Perfect timing for a while-the-iron-is-hot interview.
INTERVIEW: Trisha Powell Crain On Alabama’s Low NAEP Ranks
Alabama recently got some unflattering news about its students' proficiency, especially in eighth-grade mathematics. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, is a standardized test sometimes called "the nation's report card." On the 2013 test, Alabama eighth-graders ranked fiftieth out of 52 jurisdictions in math (schools on military bases and in the District of Columbia were counted separately). But as with most education topics, things are not quite as simple as they seem. WBHM's Dan Carsen sat down with Alabama School Connection executive director Trisha Powell Crain to go behind those results. She says we shouldn't put too much emphasis on one test, or be too surprised at Alabama's low showing.
Wilkerson Middle Defies the Odds
It's easy to focus on what's wrong with education. And it's no secret that Birmingham Schools, like other urban districts around the nation, face serious problems. But there are schools here that are achieving success regardless. From the Southern Education Desk at WBHM, Dan Carsen has much more.
