by Scott Buttram, publisher
TRUSSVILLE — The Alabama State Deprtment of Education (ALSDE) released third grade reading proficiency scores at the school level this week and students from Trussville City Schools (TCS) shined.
TCS posted the third highest percentage of grade level readers in the state among all school districts with 95.6% of third graders reading at grade level. Only Mountain Brook at 96.7% and Saraland at 96% fared better.
The release of scores comes as schools prepare for the implementation of the Literacy Act which, after delays by the Alabama legislature, will be in full force for the 2023-24 school year. The Literacy Act, passed in 2019, calls for third graders not reading at grade level to be retained to receive additional instruction and support.
Cahaba Elementary led the way among Trussville elementary schools with 98.8 percent of 3rd graders reading at grade level, finishing in the top five among all schools in Alabama, including magnet schools.
You can see all of the statewide, school level data from ALSDE here.
Also among the best in Alabama were Paine Elementary and Magnolia Elementary who were neck and neck with 94.6% and 94.4% reading at grade level, respectively. All three TCS elementary schools far outpaced the state average of 77.7%.
Among Metro Birmingham peer elementary schools in feeder patterns for Hoover, Spain Park, Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills, Homewood and Oak Mountain, Cahaba Elementary led the way. Often separated by only tenths of a point, Cahaba edged out schools from Alabama’s academic heavyweights Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills which had a combined three elementary schools above 98%.
Editor’s note: TCS did not respond to a request for comment from the superintendent and elementary school principals prior to publishing. The comments will be added to the story if they are received.
