Alabama Schools Surge in Reading, Math Under Mackey Leadership

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama students boosted reading proficiency in every tested grade during the 2024-25 school year, with fewer landing in the lowest Level 1 category on the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP), State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey told the State Board of Education on July 9.[2] Second-graders saw a one percentage point drop in Level 1 scores, while fourth-graders improved by three points, reflecting targeted interventions, new instructional materials and teacher training.[2] Math showed modest gains, especially among low performers, with Level 1 declines in most grades; Alabama ranked first nationally in math recovery from 2019-2024 and leaped to 32nd in fourth-grade NAEP math—its best ever—with a six-point jump.[1][6] High school milestones shone brightest: a historic 92% graduation rate and 88% College and Career Readiness rate, both state records.[1] Alabama now ranks fifth nationally in computer science education, financial literacy and new National Board Certified Teachers, plus top in the South-Central region for workforce development.[1] Science scores improved in sixth and eighth grades, steady in fourth, amid better reading comprehension aiding content-heavy tests; ACT composites for juniors dipped slightly to 17.3, prompting review of its use as the accountability measure.[2] English learners, now nearly 51,000 students up from 41,000 in 2022, hit 5.3% exit rate from support programs, with projections to 55,000 by 2026.[2] Mackey credits stability in standards and assessments post-Common Core, plus 2025 RAISE Act funding boosts for poverty, special education, gifted and English learners—expanded in 2026 under local control to close gaps.[3] Amid these wins, seventh-grade math proficiency held at 19%, and Mackey pushes embedding math coaches in elementary schools.[2][3]