Alabama’s rural charter school students performed better on state tests than their counterparts at traditional public schools.

That’s not always the case with metro-area charter schools, though, according to an annual legislative report from the state department of education, sent to legislators ahead of the 2023 session.

The report documents test scores for each of the seven charter schools authorized by the Alabama Public Charter School Commission. Two other charter schools were in operation last year, including one conversion and one startup authorized by Montgomery County’s board of education, but were not included in the report.

The report compared spring 2022 test results on the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program, or ACAP, among each of the charter schools and the school district it serves.

Read more: 10 things to know about Alabama’s 2022 standardized test results

In English language arts, rural charter schools outscored their surrounding traditional schools by anywhere from 18 to 47 percentage points in the percentage of children reaching proficiency. In math, charters were 16 to 41 percentage points higher than traditional schools, and in science, charters had a 40-percentage point advantage.

But in Mobile and Montgomery counties, the two charter schools in the report scored lower than their surrounding area schools.

Charter schools in those regions had 5 to 20 percentage points fewer students reach proficiency in English language arts, 8 to 15 percentage points fewer students reach proficiency in math, and 8 to 22 percentage points fewer students reach proficiency in science.

There is one exception: LEAD Academy’s 7th graders had more students – four percentage points – reach proficiency in ELA and math than their Montgomery County counterparts.

The two Birmingham-area charter schools were compared with either Birmingham City or Homewood City, and Jefferson County schools.

Those results were mixed, with Birmingham’s i3 Academy scoring lower than their traditional school comparison group in some subjects and grades, but higher in others.

Read more: Alabama school district A-F report card grades are posted. See your rank from 1 to 145.

Legacy Prep outscored Birmingham City, but couldn’t reach the same levels of proficiency as its Jefferson County counterparts.

Magic City Acceptance Academy students scored higher than Jefferson County in comparison grades and subjects, but lower than Homewood City, which is one of the highest-performing school systems in the state.

In the report’s summary, the state department mentioned educators are working with lawmakers on ways to improve public charter schools in Alabama, including possible changes to the statewide commission and to the method for funding charter schools.

Read more: Back to school Alabama 2022: New charter schools set to open

Read more: Alabama charter school enrollment soars as more schools open

Currently, six school districts are operating as authorizers:

• Birmingham City,
• Dothan City,
• Elmore County,
• Greene County,
• Macon County, and
• Montgomery County

Elmore County and Montgomery County are the only local authorizers that have approved charter schools to open. Montgomery County authorized three conversion charters and one startup charter school, all operating as of the current school year.

Ivy Classical Academy, a K-6 school is expected to open in Elmore County in 2024.

The full report includes a short profile of each charter school and can be seen below.