BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Birmingham City Schools moved up again on Alabama’s annual state report card, earning a 79 overall in the grades released for the most recent school year.
Superintendent Mark Sullivan shared the result Thursday. It is two points better than the 77 the district earned a year earlier.
District figures point to steady gains since 2023. Academic proficiency is up by more than eight percentage points over that span, and college and career readiness has climbed by more than 24 points. Chronic absenteeism, a stubborn problem for many urban systems, fell from 29% in 2023 to 11%.
The biggest single turnaround came at Hayes K-8, where the school score rose 14 points and lifted its letter grade from an F to a C. Sullivan pointed to the school as proof of what sustained effort can produce.
District leaders say they are not finished. Their stated target is to push the overall score into B territory or higher.
Each year the Alabama State Department of Education grades every public district and campus. The formula blends how students test, how much they improve from year to year, how often they miss class, how many graduate and how well prepared they are for college or a job.
District officials credit the rise to changes across the system, not only in classroom lessons but in how schools make students feel welcome and supported through the day. Leaders said that sense of belonging can shape how children perform as much as any single program.
Across the metro, suburban Hoover City Schools set a district record this year with a score of 96, and all 16 of its schools earned an A. That district serves 13,414 students and logged a perfect 100 in academic growth. Two Hoover elementary campuses, Brock’s Gap Intermediate and South Shades Crest, posted perfect scores of 100.
Section: More Birmingham AL education news
Filed under: Birmingham AL Education News
