Alabama
“Every child, every chance, every day” is the Alabama Department of Education’s motto, and it is reflected in the state strategic plan. Strategies in the plan include using evidence-based practices, data analysis, and implementation of coaches to improve academic outcomes for all students. In 2019, the Alabama Literacy Act was passed. The law includes extensive teacher professional development and support through literacy coaching. In 2022, the Numeracy Act was passed, creating a new Office of Mathematics Instruction with a vision for student proficiency in math by supporting teachers through coaching and data-driven instruction. To address district requests for educating English learners, the department added a statewide administrator and regional specialists for English learner coordination and professional development.
The Region 7 Comprehensive Center service delivery plan for Alabama is organized around three high-leverage problems and opportunities:
- Building on past successes in Grades PreK–3 literacy to establish a renewed focus on building excellent readers by updating state policies to reflect current evidence-based reading practices and expanding and strengthening the state and regional literacy coaching cadre;
- Collaborating with the Office of Mathematics Improvement to strengthen the use of data to inform evidence-based early grades mathematics instruction that reflects current state legislation through technical assistance and coordination activities to promote and scale up effective mathematics practices and procedures; and
- Increasing access to effective teachers and leaders for the state’s growing population of English learner students through intensive technical assistance to support districts and schools in understanding and scaling up effective, evidence-based English learner practices, policies, and procedures.