ALABAMA LITERACY ACT

What is the ALABAMA LITERACY ACT?

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The Alabama Literacy Act was passed in 2019 to help improve reading in Alabama public schools to ensure students are reading on 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. 

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Why Focus on Literacy?

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By third grade, students must have mastered foundational reading skills in order to comprehend more complex texts. If they do not achieve this proficiency, they will struggle to understand grade-level reading material, which can impact their performance in other subjects such as science, social studies, writing, and even math.

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How Will Families Be Informed of Their Student’s Progress?

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Students in kindergarten through third grade will have their reading assessed at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year. These assessments identify students who need intensive reading instruction and intervention, providing teachers with key information to tailor instruction based on individual needs. Families will receive these results in writing within a designated time frame.

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​What is Required for Promotion to the 4th Grade?

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Third-grade students will be promoted to fourth grade if they demonstrate sufficient reading skills through one of the following pathways:

• Score above the lowest achievement level on the reading portion of the 3rd grade ACAP (Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program), administered in the spring of their third-grade year.

• Earn an acceptable score on the ACAP Supplemental Assessment.

• Master the Grade 3 Essential Reading Standards in the Student Reading Portfolio.

• Meet one of the Good Cause Exemptions.

 

What Are the Good Cause Exemptions?

 

Good cause exemptions allow students who are reading below grade level to be promoted to fourth grade, provided they continue to receive intervention and support. These exemptions include:

• English Language Learners who have had less than three years of instruction in English as a second language.

• Students with disabilities who participate in the statewide English Language Arts reading assessment, have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Section 504 Plan, and have received intensive reading intervention for over two years but still demonstrate a reading deficiency.

• Students who have received intensive reading intervention for two or more years, still demonstrate a deficiency in reading, and have been retained in kindergarten, first grade, or second grade for a total of two years.

• Students with disabilities whose IEP indicates that participating in the statewide assessment program is not appropriate are automatically exempt from the reading requirement for promotion.

 

It’s important to note that no student can be retained more than once in third grade.

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How Will Schools Help Students Who Are Retained in 3rd Grade?

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If a student does not meet the promotion requirements, they may be retained in third grade. Retained students will receive additional intensive reading intervention services, including:

• Summer Reading Camps and the Alabama Summer Achievement Program (ASAP), available to students in the lowest-performing 5% of public elementary schools.

• Before and after school intervention tutoring throughout the year to support reading development.

• Reading instruction grounded in the science of reading to ensure effective learning strategies.

• Frequent monitoring to track progress and ensure students are on track to meet grade-level reading standards.

• Read-at-Home Plans for families to reinforce reading skills at home.