Understanding the Alabama State Report Card: What Black Parents Need to Know

Every year, the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) publishes a School Report Card that grades every public school in the state using an A through F scale. This report card is one of the most powerful tools available to parents, guardians, and community advocates — yet it remains one of the least understood. For Black families across Alabama, from Birmingham’s Southside to the Black Belt counties of Wilcox and Lowndes, learning to read and use this document is an act of empowerment and civic engagement.

What Is the Alabama State Report Card?

The Alabama State Report Card is a publicly accessible document published annually by the ALSDE. It provides a school-by-school and district-by-district breakdown of academic performance, student growth, attendance, and college and career readiness. Mandated under both federal law — specifically the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) — and state policy, Alabama’s report card system is designed to promote transparency and accountability. You can access it directly at the ALSDE website (reportcard.alsde.edu).

Under the A–F grading structure, schools receive a letter grade based on a composite of weighted indicators. An “A” signals high performance across multiple metrics; an “F” indicates a school that is significantly underperforming. But the letter grade alone doesn’t tell the whole story. As a Black parent, you need to look deeper.

Breaking Down the Key Indicators

 Academic Achievement

This is the largest weighted component of a school’s grade. It measures the percentage of students who score “proficient” or above on standardized assessments — specifically the ACT Aspire in grades 3 through 8, and the ACT for high school students. Alabama has historically seen racial achievement gaps, meaning Black students statewide often score at proficiency rates below the state average. Understanding where your child’s school falls is the first step in identifying whether additional support is needed.

Academic Growth

Growth measures how much students improve over time relative to their peers who started at the same level. This is critical because it can show that even a school with lower overall achievement scores may be doing excellent work helping students progress. Conversely, a school with high achievement scores may actually be doing little to move low-performing students forward. Look for schools where Black students show strong academic growth, even if the overall letter grade is modest.

 Chronic Absenteeism

Alabama defines chronic absenteeism as missing 10% or more of school days in a year — roughly 18 days or more. This metric is included in the report card because research consistently shows that chronic absenteeism is one of the strongest predictors of academic failure and dropout. Communities affected by poverty, lack of transportation, housing instability, or health disparities — challenges disproportionately affecting Black communities — are more likely to see high absenteeism rates. If your school’s absenteeism rate is flagged, it’s a call to action, not a mark of shame on the community.

 Graduation Rate

For high schools, the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate is a key indicator. Alabama’s goal is for all schools to reach and sustain high graduation rates, but this metric has long been uneven across racial and income lines. When you look at a high school’s report card, filter by subgroup data — the ALSDE report card allows you to view data broken down by race, income, disability status, and English learner status.

College and Career Readiness (CCR)

This indicator measures the percentage of graduates who are prepared for life after high school through ACT benchmark scores, Advanced Placement (AP) or dual enrollment coursework, industry credentials, or military readiness. For Black families investing in their children’s futures, this number is vital. A school with a high graduation rate but low CCR score may be graduating students who are not prepared for college or competitive careers.

How to Use the Report Card to Advocate

Simply knowing a report card exists isn’t enough. Black parents and guardians must use this data actively. When you read your school’s report card, ask your principal: “What is the school’s plan to improve the academic growth of Black students?” or “What targeted interventions exist for students scoring below proficient on the ACT Aspire?” You have every right to these answers, and the report card gives you the data foundation to ask them.

Also compare your school to others in your district and across comparable districts. If a school in a neighboring county with similar demographics is outperforming your school, ask why. Advocate at school board meetings (see Post 3) using this data.

Finding Your School’s Report Card

Visit reportcard.alsde.edu and search by school name, district, or county. The site is free, public, and updated annually. Share it in your church bulletin, neighborhood Facebook group, and parent WhatsApp chats. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.

Actionable Steps for Parents

  • Visit reportcard.alsde.edu and look up your child’s current school today.
  • Compare scores across three years to see if performance is improving, declining, or stagnant.
  • Check the subgroup data — look specifically at scores and growth rates for Black or African American students.
  • Write down three questions to bring to your next school board meeting or parent-teacher conference based on what you find.
  • Share the report card link with at least five other parents in your school community.
  • Contact your school’s principal and ask for a meeting to discuss what the school’s improvement plan looks like for the current academic year.
  • Follow BA4E on social media for plain-language updates on Alabama school data every time new report cards are released.