Education News in Alabama EXTRA!

September 25 , 2007 (archive)

By Sallie Owen

ALABAMA LEADS THE NATION

New national test scores show great news for Alabama's teachers, children

Alabama's fourth-graders gained eight points in reading on the most important national yardstick of student learning, according to results released today.

That eight-point gain is the biggest gain in the nation.

Data is from the 2007 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), often called the nation's report card. NAEP is our most rigorous and credible tool for measuring student learning, as well as for comparing progress state-to-state.

"Alabama's gain in fourth-grade reading scores is higher than any other state between 2005 and 2007," said Commissioner Mark Schneider of the National Center for Education Statistics. "This gain stands out for this year's assessment, and in the history of NAEP's state-level reading assessment.

More Alabama highlights:

• Our gain is nearly triple the national improvement of three points.
• Achievement gap between black and white students narrowed four points.
• Both black (13 points) and white (7 points) students gained.
• Alabama has the same percentage of students scoring at the highest level as the nation as a whole.

Alabama also exceeded the national growth for math in the fourth and eighth grades.

HARD WORK PAYS OFF

In short, Alabama's reforms are working. These reforms set high expectations for every child, and they help teachers use the most effective teaching methods.

Factors to consider:

• These are the first NAEP results since the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) reached every K-3 classroom in the 2006-07 school year.
• The evidence shows that all students learn more with the ARI: both black and white as well as students at all achievement levels.
• These results are beginning to show the impact of the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI).

NEXT STEPS

Alabama needs to continue this progress and make it a trend. These results provide evidence that we're on the right path.

• Increased funding will allow ARI to reach older students. (Eighth-grade reading was the one place where Alabama did not make progress.)
• Only a fraction of schools benefit from AMSTI, which is growing as fast as funding will allow.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"We're No. 1, and Alabama is never going to be the same."

Katherine Mitchell, Assistant State Superintendent for Reading

WE NEED YOU
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation. You can give online or mail your check to P.O. Box 4433, Montgomery, AL 36103.

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The A+ Education Foundation, based in Montgomery, publishes Education News in Alabama twice a month. A+ is a nonprofit organization that advances policies, programs and initiatives in Alabama's K-12 education system that result in high achievement by every child.

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