In this issue, Charlie, the college-ready dog, answers questions about the new Alabama State Report card: What is it? What does it mean? How can it be used to help parents become more involved in their child’s school?
The Alabama State Report Card was released this winter. Like your child’s report card, the Alabama State Report Card assigns a letter grade (A-F) based on student achievement, academic growth and other factors depending on grade level such as graduation rate, college and career readiness, and chronic absenteeism. Its goal is to highlight what our schools are doing well and where our schools need to improve.
Learn more about the Alabama State Report Card at www.alsde.edu.
Hey Charlie, Alabama recently released a state report card grading my child’s school. Is knowing my school’s letter grade important?
A: What's important is that parents and community leaders look at more than just the letter grade. The Alabama State Report Card is the most comprehensive collection of public school data that Alabama has collected and made available in one place.Not only does the Alabama State Report Card provide a snapshot for how students performed in school over the last year, but by looking at these measures overtime, we can identify our schools’ strengths and weaknesses, and school leaders can use this information to develop a plan for improvement.
Hey Charlie, why does the Alabama State Department of Education need to grade schools?
A: Under state and federal law, the Alabama State Department of Education is required to share information comparing schools’ performance. These laws mandate that Alabama provides parents with a clear picture of how their school is performing. To-date, 44 states use a rating system, and the A-F grading scale is the most commonly used method.
Hey Charlie, is there anything I can do to help improve my school’s grade?
A: Because the Alabama State Report Card is interactive, families and educators can easily compare their school and district to other local systems and the state as a whole. Every school is different, so I encourage you to reach out to your school’s principal and ask for details on any initiatives being considered to improve student performance.Remember, we are all in this together. Schools, parents and our larger communities all have a role to play in educating children. The best way to get involved is to make yourself available to school leaders.
Total Possible Points:
Learning Gains: 30
Student Achievement: 20
Graduation Rate: 20
Local Indicator: 5
