The percentage of Alabama third graders reading on grade level decreased 2% between 2022 and 2023, according to Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program scores released by the Alabama State Department of Education.
This year, 76% of Alabama third graders read on the third grade level, compared with 78% a year ago. In 2021, 77% of third graders read on grade level.
State Superintendent Eric Mackey said there are reasons the numbers might not have changed as officials had hoped. The test has changed since 2022 to focus more on the science of reading, so the test includes components that were not previously tested.
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The superintendent also suggested the pandemic might have had an effect. This year’s third graders were kindergarteners in the 2019-20 school year. After the first COVID-19 case in Alabama was confirmed that March, Alabama schools went to distance learning about two months before classes ended.