Alabama students are performing better across nearly all grade levels and subjects, a sign that recent reforms could be paying off, according to new test results.

English, math and science scores on 2025 tests jumped. Officials praised results Tuesday and said they would continue to work on weak spots in middle school grades and build on success in reading.

“It’s good news,” State Superintendent Eric Mackey told state school board members Tuesday.

“We’re moving toward the right goals, except in these middle grades… But what this does tell us is the work y’all are doing — investing in basic instruction, high-quality instructional materials, good professional development, and extra help for those students — is moving students.”

The state ACAP exam measures proficiency in English language arts, math and science among second through eighth graders.

In every subject but 7th grade math, more students met their targets and fewer were labeled low-performing.

• In math, 36.8% of students were proficient this year, up from 34.3% in 2024
• In ELA, 60.6% of students were proficient this year, up from 57.6% in 2024
• In science, 39.7% of students were proficient this year, up from 37% in 2024

Alabama students are getting better at key subjects

The gains are the latest of a series of achievements for Alabama schools.

Reading scores released last month also showed improvement among the state’s second and third graders. And the state made headlines for its post-pandemic growth in reading and math on the Nation’s Report Card, which samples a number of fourth and eighth graders in local schools. In just two years, the state jumped from one of the worst-performing states to the middle of the rankings.

The ACAP test, which is aligned to national standards, is the most challenging test Alabama has given to elementary and middle schoolers. Still, officials acknowledge that scores are not where they want them to be.

“We’re obviously not satisfied with these numbers, but we know our teachers are working hard and they’re dealing with a very rigorous assessment,” said Board Member Traci West.

Students still struggle in middle grades

Middle school math continues to be a pain point for Alabama, and for schools in much of the country, Mackey said. While nearly half of elementary schoolers are now proficient in math, just a quarter of seventh and eighth graders met the same benchmark this year.

High-achieving students may start to take advanced math courses in the 7th or 8th grade, but those skills aren’t always measured by state assessments. Mackey said the state is currently working to make sure middle school curricula are properly aligned to the test.

But one bright spot, he said, is that more lower-performing students appear to be getting help. Across all subjects, fewer students scored at a Level 1, meaning they struggle with basic skills like decoding words or adding and subtracting numbers.

The upward trend could mean that more students are getting access to targeted interventions, Mackey said. The state has invested heavily in reading support, and is beginning to bolster the number of math coaches and specialists in local schools.

“They’re getting some kind of extra help, and that help is making a difference,” he told board members.

See proficiency rates by grade in the chart below, or view it here.

English learners are making progress

Alabama’s English learner population is growing rapidly, from just over 41,000 students getting some form of English language support in 2023 to more than 50,000 this year.

Because so many English learners come from different educational backgrounds, it can be tough to compare progress year over year. This year, the percentage of students who exited EL programs went up slightly, at just over 5%.

Future of ACT test

High schoolers in Alabama also have to take a state test, at least once.

This year, ACT composite scores held steady at 17.3, just a slight decrease from last year’s average of 17.4. Fewer students also earned WorkKeys certificates, which measure workplace skills like practical math problems and how to interpret data.

As more diploma pathways open up for high schoolers, testing could look a lot different down the line. Surveys show fewer principals want to stick with the ACT, Mackey said. A committee is currently evaluating other options.

District- and school-level ACAP data will be available in August after systems verify their scores.