• Alabama Literacy Act

    The Alabama Literacy Act was passed in 2019 to help improve reading in Alabama public schools to ensure students are reading at grade level by the end of the 3rd grade. Reading is the gateway to lifelong achievement and the students of Alabama deserve a strong start on their path to success.

    Why focus on literacy?

    By 3rd grade, students must have strong foundational reading skills in order to read and gain meaning from print. If they are unsuccessful, they will have difficulty reading grade level fiction and nonfiction materials independently. Students also need strong reading skills in order to learn other school subjects, such as science, social studies, writing, and even math.

    How will families be informed about their child's progress?

    Each student in kindergarten through 3rd grade will have his/her reading skills assessed at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. These assessments will identify students who need intensive reading instruction and intervention. These assessments also provide useful information to the teacher to help tailor instruction to meet individual student needs. Families should receive these results in writing within a designated time frame.

    How will schools help students who are retained in third grade because the students do not meet the promotion requirements?

    • Summer reading camps.
    • Alabama Summer Achievement Programs (ASAP) shall be made available to all K-3 students in public elementary schools that are among the lowest performing 5% in reading.
    • Before and after-school intervention tutoring throughout the year to support learning.
    • Reading Intervention that is grounded in the science of reading;frequent monitoring to help ensure students are progressing and on track to meet grade level reading standards.
    • The Alabama English Language Arts Course of Study.
    • Read-at-Home Plans for families to use with their children.

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