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The Alabama Department of Education recently released data for the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program for reading of second and third graders for the 2024-2025 school year.

Selma saw a big gain in third graders that are reading at or above grade level. The final numbers showed 90% of all third graders are reading at least on grade level. In the previous year only 84.28% scored a passing grade on the assessment. The district’s numbers in 2022-2023 were only 58.5% of third graders who were at grade level.

About 72.16% of second graders in Selma City Schools were reading at or above grade level, which is a slight decrease from 74.71% last year. However, it is still a major increase from 2022-2023, which saw only 41.77% at grade level or higher.

In Dallas County, third grade reading achievement dropped slightly from 83.58% in 2023-2024 to 83.1% for 2024-2025. But the numbers are still ahead of 2022-2023, which only saw 73.42% at or above reading level.

The same trends were true for second graders. Just under two-thirds (63.19%) of Dallas County’s second graders were reading at or above grade level in 2022-2023. The number jumped up to 79.35% of second graders reading at or above grade level in 2023-2024. Percentages dipped district wide to 71.15% in 2024-2025.

Here is a look at each school from Selma and Dallas County:

Dallas County

Brantley Elementary second grade

22-23: 47.37%

23-24: 76.67%

24-25: 57.69%

Brantley Elementary third grade

22-23: 53.13%

23-24: 73.68%

24-25: 80.77%

J.E. Terry Elementary second grade

22-23: 66.67%

23-24: 81.82%

24-25: 76.92%

J.E. Terry Elementary third grade

22-23: 92.31%

23-24: 81.82%

24-25: 90.91%

Salem Elementary second grade

22-23: 75%

23-24: 80%

24-25: 71.43%

Salem Elementary third grade

22-23: 94.74%

23-24: 84.21%

24-25: 95.45%

Valley Grande Elementary second grade

22-23: 62.26%

23-24: 82.93%

24-25: 80.85%

Valley Grande Elementary third grade

22-23: 80.49

23-24: 88%

24-25: 87.5%

Southside Primary School second grade

22-23: 65%

23-24: 77.08%

24-25: 67.35%

Bruce K. Craig Elementary third grade

22-23: 37.95%

23-24: 82.86%

24-25: 72.09%

Selma City Schools

Clark Elementary second grade

22-23: 21.43%

23-24: 60%

24-25: 63.64%

Clark Elementary third grade

22-23: 58.62%

23-24: 53.85%

24-25: 86.67%

Sophia P. Kingston Elementary second grade

22-23: 40.48%

23-24: 77.5%

24-25: 75%

Sophia P. Kingston Elementary third grade

22-23: 33.33%

23-24: 89.47%

24-25: 92.86%

Edgewood Elementary second grade

22-23: 39.22%

23-24: 70.59%

24-25: 61.4%

Edgewood Elementary third grade

22-23: 55.17%

23-24: 82%

24-25: 88.89%

Meadowview Elementary second grade

22-23: 57.14%

23-24: 85%

24-25: 85.19%

Meadowview Elementary third grade

22-23: 67.86%

23-24: 87.88%

24-25: 92.31%

Payne Elementary second grade

22-23: 37.5%

23-24: 70.83

24-25: 70.59%

Payne Elementary third grade

22-23: 59.52%

23-24: 100%

24-25: 86.21%