Reviewing Progress and Goals: Birmingham City Schools Prepares for the Start of School
Improvement on Reading and Math Scores at the Forefront of Intended Changes
The leaders of Birmingham City Schools in Alabama are currently rigorously preparing for the upcoming school year with a strong emphasis on improving the attendance rates as well as the reading and mathematical performance of the students.
In a superintendent performance assessment assembly conducted last Friday, the board discussed several concerns-ranging from third-grade reading levels to chronic absenteeism. Superintendent Dr. Mark Sullivan has expressed optimism on the progress in both areas.
Significant Decline in Absenteeism
Three years ago, Birmingham City Schools recorded a chronic absenteeism rate of 29%. With strategic steps taken to address the problem, this rate has now declined to below 17%. Dr. Sullivan credits this improvement to the ‘Every Day Counts’ initiative, launched in collaboration with the city and housing authority. The initiative is designed to offer financial benefits to the residents of the housing authority in tandem with the school attendance of their children.
Improvement in Reading Scores
Dr. Sullivan cited the district’s successful partnership with ESS, an educational company, as a key factor in improving reading scores. The company provides additional teachers to reduce class sizes, thus ensuring that students attain grade-level reading proficiency.
The superintendent stressed, “We have a lot of initiatives in place that are designed to build on the success we had in the previous year.”
Upcoming School Board Meeting
On August 14, the school board is set to meet again for further examination of both the district and superintendent’s progress. This meeting will provide further insights into the data and the implementation of the new initiatives.
It is also expected that ACAP (Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program) scores will be released during the fall, giving an even more comprehensive picture of the learning progress of the students within Birmingham City Schools.
Additionally, Birmingham City Schools are making strides towards improving both internal procedures and student performance. They are keen on further reducing absenteeism rates and maintaining the progress made in reading and math scores.
