Alabama has drawn national praise for recent gains in math since the pandemic, but a new report shows that many of the state’s youngest students are still struggling with foundational skills, highlighting the importance of school efforts called for in the Numeracy Act.
The data comes from the first annual report required under the 2022 Alabama Numeracy Act, a state law aimed at boosting foundational math skills in kindergarten through fifth grade. The report covers the 2023–24 school year, when many, but not all parts of the law were in place in public schools. It provides a baseline for future reporting.
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The Alabama Department of Education prepared the report for lawmakers as required. It shows that 59% of nearly 300,000 K-5 students ended the year below expectations on math benchmark tests.
Those benchmark tests are given at the beginning, middle and end of the school year to track student progress.
The bulk of the Numeracy Act spells out how schools are supposed to step in when students struggle with math. But the report shows it’s not always easy to get that help to students who need it. One big issue: few fourth and fifth graders who qualified for summer math camp actually showed up.
Schools must offer summer math camps to students in kindergarten through fifth grade who fall short on benchmarks, but attendance isn’t required. According to the report, fewer than 1% of eligible fourth and fifth graders attended.
That’s a problem for school officials who say they’re being judged on student progress without the ability to make sure students get extra help.
The report suggests schools should start talking with parents earlier, using mid-year benchmark test results as a way to get their children signed up for summer math camps before it’s too late.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Trisha Powell Crain and originally published by Alabama Daily News.
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