The Alabama State Board of Education met Thursday to discuss the following: 

 ACAP Summative Reading Subtest 

The State Board of Education reviewed a report Thursday on the spring 2023 ACAP Summative Reading Subtest for 2nd and 3rd graders. Alabama Department of Education (ALSDE) Assessment Coordinator Dr. Maggie Hicks explained Alabama students' reading skills slipped since the previous school year.

• The report revealed third graders’ reading at grade level dropped from 78% to 76%.
• Similarly, second graders’ reading at grade level saw a decrease of one percentage point, from 80% to 79%.

State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey identified factors contributing to the decline.

• This year's 3rd grade class, which missed over 2.5 months of school due to COVID, were in kindergarten when the pandemic hit, and there was an unusually high number of students with inconsistent attendance the following school year in 2020-21 due to COVID quarantine protocols.
• Mackey explained this year's reading assessment utilized 2021 ELA standards, a more rigorous framework than the 2016 standards used for the previous year's assessment. While last year's assessment concentrated on phonics, vocabulary and reading comprehension, this year's assessment expanded to also include phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, and fluency. 

Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) Bonnie Short highlighted that schools where a larger proportion of students demonstrate reading proficiency tend to have a majority of teachers who are trained and certified in the Science of Reading (SOR).  

Still, State Board members raised concerns over the data. They emphasized the crucial need to increase the number of teachers trained in SOR and questioned the efficacy of summer reading programs that are not required for students who need support.  

• Last year, about 50 percent of students who were not on grade level participated in the summer literacy program, and of these students, half demonstrated grade-level proficiency by the end of the program.

When asked about the student retention component of the Literacy Act, set to take place next school year, Mackey reminded board members that students will have other pathways to 4th grade promotion, including the Supplemental Reading Assessment, Student Reading Portfolio and Good Cause Exemptions.  

Priority Schools

Discussion shifted from students not reading at grade level to measures being implemented to support priority schools, which had previously been identified as failing under the Alabama Accountability Act (AAA).  

State Board Member Tracey West (District 2) stressed the urgency for intervention in systems with schools on the priority list and students not achieving grade level proficiency. Other board members echoed this sentiment, recommending targeted professional development for teachers and principals to increase student achievement.  

Mackey shared information on the recently enacted School Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act aimed at enhancing the efficacy of school administrators, which in turn, is expected to improve academic results for all students. He said the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS) will manage this program.

Science Course of Study Update

Dr. Dennis Coe, Dothan City Schools superintendent and chair of the Science Course of Study Committee, provided an update to the Board. Coe stated work on the course of study is progressing well and the board can expect to see the completed product in November. The committee consists of 41 members, including educators and professionals in the science field.

Coe clarified the committee's focus is not on curriculum development, but rather on establishing state standards for science. He stressed that the committee is integrating legislative literacy and numeracy requirements and SBOE rules into the formulation of the state's science standards. Coe also said he expects a draft of the Science Course of Study to be released and open for public comment in August.

Board Meeting Action

• Approved resolution honoring Dr. David G. Bronner, Chief Executive Officer of the Retirement Systems of Alabama. 
• Approved University of Alabama’s Innovative Educator Preparation Program resolution.
• Approved resolution authorizing review of University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Educator Preparation Program. 
• Approved adoption of the new Alabama Administrative Code rule pertaining to School-Based Child Nutrition Program personnel. 
• Approved adoption of the new Alabama Administrative Code rule pertaining to continuous training requirements.  

Next SBOE Meeting 

The board’s next meeting is Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at 10 a.m. in Montgomery with a work session immediately following. The July meeting is the board’s annual business meeting.  

Dig Deeper

For additional information, view an AL.com Education Lab article including district- and school-level breakdowns on the spring 2023 reading scores.  

Next State Board of Education Meeting

The next meeting of the Alabama State Board of Education will take place June 8 at 10 a.m. in Montgomery, with a work session immediately following.