HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — For the first time, Huntsville City Schools has an A from the state. The district scored a 90 on the newest Alabama State Report Card, crossing the line from a B.
The jump caps a four-year climb. Huntsville sat at 83 in 2022, so the latest grade represents a gain of seven points over that period.
Underneath the overall number, several measures moved in the right direction. Academic achievement improved by almost 10 points, and the share of students graduating grew by more than seven points. College and career readiness also rose.
Attendance showed one of the sharpest shifts. The portion of students considered chronically absent dropped from close to 19% in 2022 to a little under 7% this year.
School board member Payten Redfearn, who represents District 3, said the system has gotten better every year since 2017, when its report card average was still in the 70s.
The celebration comes as the district weighs a plan that worries some families in South Huntsville. Under the proposal, the Mountain Gap elementary and middle grades would shut down, with those children reassigned to Challenger. Some parents there argue that small neighborhood schools are a big reason the ratings have risen.
Alabama issues report cards every year for each public school system and campus. The scores weigh academic achievement and growth, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, and how ready students are for college or careers. Elsewhere in the state, Birmingham City Schools posted a 79 this year, two points higher than its prior score.
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