Year after year, the goal of educators, parents, and concerned citizens throughout Alabama is to provide this state's children with the highest level of quality education possible. The future of Alabama's businesses, industries, commerce, labor force, arts, humanities, and countless other areas are determined by the education that is provided to students today. This publication is a compilation of student, staffing, and funding information for the 2008-2009 school year in all Alabama public schools.
In a more consistent and viable manner than ever before, education in Alabama is moving toward its ultimate goal of providing every student with a quality education, thereby preparing them for work, college, and life after high school. Alabama's graduation rates from 2002 to 2008 increased significantly, tripling the national average increase and ranking fourth in the country. Alabama's progress in reading continues to prove the state's reading initiative is effective. Educational assessments clearly show the historic gains Alabama made in reading in 2007 (greatest gains in Reading in America and in the history of the National Assessment of Educational Progress) continue to remain steady. Alabama's trailblazing distance learning program, ACCESS, remains a spectacle of achievement recognized and reported on by national television programs and newspapers across the country. The state's success with Advanced Placement (AP) classes, both in the number of students taking AP classes and the diversity of students taking AP classes, is phenomenal (the number of African American AP test takers has more than quadrupled since 2004). In addition, the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) has been recognized by the Center for Excellence in Education, a national think tank, as an "exemplary model of laboratory education" in the United States. Still, all of these accomplishments barely scratch the surface of what all is being done to improve the quality of education in Alabama. However, even with the fevered pitch that the State Board of Education, school administrators, teachers, parents, and students are demonstrating improvement, much, much more remains to be done. This publication is a compilation of student, staffing, and funding statistics reflecting accomplishments during the 2009-2010 school year in all Alabama public schools. It is the combination of what were formerly the Alabama Education Report Card, a federally mandated publication, and the Alabama State Department of Education Annual Report. Because much of the information previously included in the Annual Report was similar or identical to what was required in the Alabama Education Report Card, the two were collapsed into one informative, yet efficient and practical publication. This publication meets the requirements of the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001," Public Law 107-110, and the Code of Alabama (1975), Section 16-3-21. [For the 2008-2009 Education Report Card, see ED511451.].
Distance Learning journal is a premiere outlet for articles featuring practical applications of distance education in states, institutions, and countries. Distance Education Around the World is a collection of readings from Distance Learning journal written by practitioners for practitioners.
Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2009, and score gaps for student groups are included. In 2009, the average score of fourth-grade students in Alabama was 216. This was lower than the average score of 220 for public school students in the nation. The average score for students in Alabama in 2009 (216) was not significantly different from their average score in 2007 (216) and was higher than their average score in 1992 (207). In 2009, the score gap between students in Alabama at the 75th percentile and students at the 25th percentile was 47 points. This performance gap was not significantly different from that of 1992 (48 points). The percentage of students in Alabama who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 28 percent in 2009. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2007 (29 percent) and was greater than that in 1992 (20 percent). The percentage of students in Alabama who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 62 percent in 2009. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2007 (62 percent) and was greater than that in 1992 (51 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: Reading 2009. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2010-458," see ED508911.].
Each state and jurisdiction that participated in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 2009 reading assessment receives a one-page snapshot report that presents key findings and trends in a condensed format. Overall results, achievement level percentages and average score results, comparison of the average score in 2009 to other states/jurisdictions, average scores for state/jurisdiction and nation (public), results for student groups in 2009, and score gaps for student groups are included. In 2009, the average score of eighth-grade students in Alabama was 255. This was lower than the average score of 262 for public school students in the nation. The average score for students in Alabama in 2009 (255) was higher than their average score in 2007 (252) and was not significantly different from their average score in 1998 (255). In 2009, the score gap between students in Alabama at the 75th percentile and students at the 25th percentile was 47 points. This performance gap was not significantly different from that of 1998 (44 points). The percentage of students in Alabama who performed at or above the NAEP "Proficient" level was 24 percent in 2009. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2007 (21 percent) and was not significantly different from that in 1998 (22 percent). The percentage of students in Alabama who performed at or above the NAEP "Basic" level was 66 percent in 2009. This percentage was not significantly different from that in 2007 (62 percent) and was not significantly different from that in 1998 (67 percent). [For the main report, "The Nation's Report Card: Reading 2009. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2010-458," see ED508911.].
Compares the 50 states in hundreds of preK-12 education categories. Categories include reading and math scores, teachers' salaries, graduation rates, per pupil spending, special education, and class size.
Public education in Alabama is moving in the right direction and is poised to be a national model for the college and career readiness of its students. Through some of the most challenging financial circumstances, public education in Alabama has continued to show great promise in many areas, including reading, math, and science. The success of Alabama education initiatives is lauded in national publications, research studies, and, most importantly, by the teachers and students in their classrooms. Although the momentum for increased educational quality has picked up, now more than ever students must be kept on track to become the most highly prepared high school graduates the state has ever produced. From classroom teachers, schools administrators, and parents, to community and business leaders, all facets of the state have a vested interest in developing graduates who are solidly prepared to become the promise of tomorrow. In every way possible, all must coalesce around the cause of quality education for every single student in the state of Alabama. Without this unwavering conviction, it will be impossible to meet the state's incredible potential. Despite the accomplishments that have been made in public education, there are still ambitious goals and much left to do. From pre-kindergarten until the day our students graduate from high school, on time, prepared for the seamless transition into life after high school, we must provide safe and disciplined schools, quality teachers, challenging curricula, and effective school leaders. These are the basic tenets that the Alabama State Board of Education has adopted to ensure Alabama students receive the level of education necessary to be competitive and relevant in today's global society. Every person who comes into contact with students must strive toward these principles in order to make certain that in Alabama, every child is a graduate and every child is prepared for college/work and adulthood in the 21st century.
Educational progress has been moving in the right direction for several years in Alabama. Now, with the implementation of Alabama's own Plan 2020, an even higher level of accountability for students, teachers, administrators, support systems, and schools/school systems, Alabama is poised to experience unprecedented growth. Add to that, the Alabama College and Career Ready standards, one of the most comprehensive sets of standards in the nation, and Alabama is on the cusp of becoming a leader in education reform. From classrooms to boardrooms, the changes being made to align the K-12 experience with the demands and expectations of higher education, business, and industry is unparalleled. Alabama's State Board of Education and the State Department of Education have very clear and specific goals: increasing graduation rates, moving students to proficiency, closing achievement gaps, and making sure their graduates are prepared for college and/or a career without remediation. Accomplishing these goals will ensure that Alabama graduates are prepared for a successful future in an ever-expanding workforce. This publication is a compilation of student, staffing, and funding information in tabulated form for the 2011-2012 school year in Alabama public schools. Information in this 2011-2012 Alabama's Education Report Card meets the requirements of the Code of Alabama (1975), Section 16-3-21 and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Public Law 107-110.
This brochure presents state statistics; Alabama public schools 2009-10; Alabama State Board of Education members; financial data; public school size and enrollment, 2009-10 school year; transportation; school meals; school personnel, 2009-2010; graduation requirements; student assessment; additional enrollment; and dropouts in school year 2008-09.
