Alabama board sets reading cut score for new assessment; governor urges one‑year delay on promotion policy

The Alabama State Board of Education voted unanimously to set the cut score for the lowest performance level in reading on the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program, and the governor recommended the Legislature delay the promotion policy in the Alabama Literacy Act for one year.

The board adopted a resolution “setting the cut score for the lowest level in reading for the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program at 4052,” the governor said during the meeting, and the motion to adopt the resolution passed with a unanimous voice vote. The governor said this action is required by the Alabama Literacy Act and therefore had to be taken before spring 2022 data were available.

The governor told the board that the decision on the promotion policy is separate from establishing the cut score and recommended the Legislature postpone the promotion portion of the Alabama Literacy Act for one year. “Based on my review of the data, Dr. Mackey’s recommendation and the recommendation of the Alabama Committee on Grade Level Reading, I’m recommending a 1 year delay on the promotion policy to the legislature,” the governor said.

Board members and staff described the delay as a temporary measure to allow the state to collect spring 2022 assessment results and further validate the new assessment before promotion consequences would apply. The governor said the state would simultaneously “double down” on supports to implement the Alabama Literacy Act at scale, identifying planned investments in professional learning on the science of reading, expanded summer and after‑school programs to mitigate COVID‑19–linked learning loss, and funding to increase the number of reading coaches in schools. The governor also urged the board to give more attention to mathematics instruction in the months ahead.

Board members asked no recorded questions about the cut score itself during the motion discussion. The motion passed by unanimous voice vote.

Votes at a glance - Motion to set reading cut score for the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program at 4052 — moved and seconded; unanimous voice vote, approved. - Adoption of new Alabama Administrative Code chapter 290‑4‑2 (student assessment) — moved and seconded; unanimous voice vote, approved. - Adoption of new Alabama Administrative Code chapter 290‑8‑8 — moved and seconded; unanimous voice vote, approved. - Appointment to the Alabama Public Charter School Commission (choice between Kate White and Julia Ann McCulley) — board members cast a single preference vote by roll call; Miss McCulley received a majority and was appointed. The board later moved to adopt the results of that vote; motion passed unanimously.

Context and next steps Board leaders said state law (the Alabama Literacy Act) required the board to set the assessment cut score now even if the Legislature acts later on promotion policy. The governor emphasized that validation of the new assessment using spring 2022 data is a key next step before promotion rules tied to the assessment would take effect, and recommended the Legislature delay promotion for one year. Any change to the promotion policy would be a legislative action, not a board decision.