Alabama has consistently ranked in the bottom five in education, but is finally trending in the right direction according to the latest “Nation’s Report Card” from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP).
Gov. Kay Ivey announced Wednesday that the state is now ranked 34th in fourth grade reading and 32nd in fourth grade math on the report card, nearing her second-term goal of having Alabama in the top 30 when it comes to education.
“Today we celebrate students, teachers and parents, because we are making significant progress in education in our state,” Ivey said at a press conference at Daniel Pratt Elementary School in Prattville to announce the results. “Alabama is an education state. Our students’ education is everything, and clearly, it was one of our state’s most pressing areas to address when I took office. Strong students will lead to a strong Alabama. And while there is more work ahead, I am confident our forward momentum will continue.”
Alabama’s place in 4th grade reading has moved dramatically over the past five years, moving up to 34th in 2024. This comes after ranking 49th in 2019. Alabama is one of only two states, along with Louisiana, to exceed pre-covid levels in 4th grade reading.
The state’s ranking in 8th grade reading rose from 49th in 2019 to 47th in 2024. Similarly, in 8th grade math, Alabama improved from 52nd in 2019 to 49th in 2024.
The state didn’t actually find a lot of growth in its reading results, but is one of only two states to see any growth at all as the rest of the states saw steep declines in the post-pandemic chaos.
Superintendent Eric Mackey said he is concerned about the stagnant reading scores despite being proud that the state avoided major losses like many other states. The most important piece to improving Alabama students’ reading ability lies with out-of-school support from both the school and parents, Mackey said.
“Read to your kids, read with your kids and listen to them read,” Mackey advised parents following the press conference.
Mackey also addressed the otherwise flat results outside of math, including struggles to make gains in the middle grades.
“Focusing on middle school progress is a major concern. Just this year, the Legislature responded to our request to fund a new middle grades initiative focused on our struggling readers,” Mackey said. “We have asked for increased funding to expand that effort in 2025-2026, and we will also be reviewing middle-level math to see what we need to adjust. However, we are incrementally heading in the right direction in many areas.
“Our State School Board has set new, higher expectations for everyone from kindergarten through graduate education; our Legislature has invested more in education than ever before; and Gov. Ivey, a former educator herself, values the importance of strong state leadership and effective instructional programs. With that kind of support and the outstanding efforts made by our teachers and school leaders, we expect to see continued progress.”
The result among fourth grade students in math show the state’s efforts through the Numeracy Act and other initiatives is paying off, Mackey said.
“From day one — actually, when I interviewed for this position — I have said that math improvement has to become a priority for our state,” Mackey said. “With the backing of our State School Board and Governor Kay Ivey to initiate new, higher academic standards and a more rigorous state test to go along with those standards, we set in motion the foundation for growth. But it is our teachers who make — and have made the difference. They have gone above and beyond to get us to the next level, even amid the unprecedented challenges presented by the pandemic. Our teachers and school leaders deserve all the praise for a job well done.”
Nationally, students continue to struggle to get back to pre-covid levels on scale scores in 4th and 8th grade reading, and 4th and 8th grade math. In 4th grade reading, the nation is down five points from 219 in 2019 to 214 in 2024. In 8th grade reading, the nation is down from 262 in 2019 to 257 in 2024. 8th grade math is down from 281 in 2019 to 272 in 2024. Nationally, 4th grade math went from 240 in 2019 to 237 in 2024.
