Alabama education officials will share data about third grade reading progress Thursday, giving parents and educators an indicator of how well local students are able to read.

Reading on grade level is a key measurement of the Alabama Literacy Act. Next year, students who cannot read on grade level by the end of third grade may be retained.

Statewide, last year’s scores showed 78% of third graders were reading on grade level, up by one percentage point from the 2020-21 school year.

Conversely, 22% of third-graders, or more than 11,000 students statewide, were not reading on grade level. About half of those students took a second reading test and 2,500 subsequently reached grade level.

What did last year’s scores tell us about student reading progress?

Alabama schools showed a range of grade-level percentages in last year’s scores, the first year reading scores by school and district were made public.

School-level scores showed between 32% and 100% of third graders showed they could read on grade level.

Last year, third graders were considered on grade level if they answered 36% of the questions on the reading subtest correctly.

School officials were given spring 2023 reading scores in mid-May to determine which students should attend summer reading camp, many of which are already underway. Schools must offer 60 hours of reading instruction for students in kindergarten through third grade who are identified as being deficient in reading. But student attendance at the camp is voluntary.

Is reading at grade level the same as proficiency?

Grade-level is not the same as proficiency, Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey has stressed during discussions with board members.

Mackey has repeatedly clarified the difference between the two terms, telling board members proficiency is a high bar, akin to an “A” or “A/B” student. Grade-level is typically anything below that, he said.

So a third grader could be on grade level as far as Literacy Act measures on the reading test are concerned, but not be proficient on the ACAP’s English Language Arts test.

Board members have expressed concern about whether parents understand the difference between the terms, hoping school officials will explain it clearly.

How can a struggling reader avoid being held back?

The spring ACAP test determines whether third graders are considered to be reading at grade level.

But a bad score on that test does not automatically mean a student will be held back from fourth grade.

Beyond the reading test in the spring, third graders who reach grade level on an alternative test in the summer reading camp can move on to the fourth grade. If a student is unable to demonstrate grade-level reading by passing a test, the student could demonstrate grade-level reading through a portfolio of work collected throughout the school year.

Students can be exempted from retention under the following circumstances, allowing the students to move on to the fourth grade, with schools providing additional support:

• Students who have received fewer than three years of instruction in an English learner program,
• Students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 plan who received remediation for two years but still demonstrate a deficiency in reading or who were retained in kindergarten, first, second or third grade,
• Students who received intense intervention in reading for two or more years but have previously been retained in kindergarten, first, second or third grade for a total of two years
• Students with disabilities who do not participate in statewide tests

How do I know if my student is on track?

A teacher should be in touch and explaining progress or concerns throughout the school year.

The Alabama State Department of Education published a flyer, displayed below, to help families understand the requirements under the Alabama Literacy Act. Click here if you are unable to view the document.