Montgomery, AL – Promoting students prior to them being prepared is a huge detriment to the students. Making sure they are prepared is the goal that we must accomplish every day.
By: Alabama Governor Kay Ivey
As Alabama students begin the new academic year, there’s already a discussion about the policy of promotion that is part of the Alabama Literacy Act which will take the effect in January of this year. There is no skill in life more important than reading and there’s nothing more transformative that we can accomplish for Alabama than ensuring that every student can effectively read. We must therefore press ahead with this task.
The practice of letting our students know they’re not proficient in reading is causing them to do a huge detriment. Recently, we’ve heard discussions that, if this promotion component from the Literacy Act had been in the last school year, over 12,000 students could be subject to being detained. This has, again been a source of discussion regarding the possibility of delaying full application of the Literacy Act. There have been reporters who have asked me about it at numerous times. My response has always been simple that further delays to the promotion policy is not possible and I will insist on vetoing any delay when I receive a bill.
It frustrates me that some people in Montgomery do not believe in our students as I observe on the roads when I go to our schools. Implementation of the Literacy Act is simply vital to the success of our students.
In the past year, I introduced this initiative called the Governor’s Turnaround Schools Initiative that will transform low-performing schools in addition to the communities surrounding them. 15 schools were selected from across the state in the initiative, and they will receive an additional amount of funding and targeted assistance.
Two of the schools that are Turnaround are located in my home town of Wilcox County. I was able to go visit J.E. Hobbs Elementary and ABC Elementary to start the term in Alabama I came away with a sense of satisfaction. From the kind teachers, to the tolerant school board members, to the enthused students – I am confident that we are moving to the right path in Alabama. Our students are eager to read and are eager to learn. I noticed this in the hundreds thousands of emails I got this summer, in responses to my Summer Reading Challenge.
Instead of focusing on doing enough, we should to concentrate on the achievement. Students, teachers, and parents are equipped and are ready for the challenge.
Alabama’s students must benefit from our tutoring, after-school, and summer programs. This summer, only half of the students eligible took part in summer literacy classes. We must make it 100%, not just fifty percent particularly for students who read below grade level.
As we make progress through sound policies like the Literacy Act, we must be sure that the students and teachers are focusing on the literacy science and phonics of reading, instead of shaky theories such as three-cueing. Three-cueing makes students think about the meaning of the words. It doesn’t be a lot of fun particularly to anyone who has been a teacher.
As an educator in the past I understand that parents are our primary teachers. Reading begins at the home. This is the reason we’re supporting our Dolly Parton Imagination library book-gifting program that will be accessible across the state. If parents read to their children at home, they’ll be prepared when they go to school. The wise investment in our children as well as our families will result in an improved Alabama.
While visiting Dozier Elementary School in Montgomery One student wanted to know what I enjoyed about being a governor. It’s certainly an amazing and demanding job, but I explained to him that, among all the responsibilities the top priority is for them – our students. I will make sure that each one of them gets the chance to get an excellent education.
Making sure that our students are ready is our goal for every day. I am more hopeful than ever that Alabama students as well as their teachers and parents will assist us in achieving our goal of placing in the top 30 states in student performance. I have told my students that I am convinced that they can become whatever they want to achieve, and they must first be successful students.
Let’s face this challenge head-on and don’t waste another second.
The delay in student achievement can keep Alabama in the bottom of the list. I would like each child to be able to move from third grade to fourth grade and beyond We are determined to make that happen. The future of the children of Alabama is contingent on our efforts today.
In the end strong students will result in an enviable Alabama.
