The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) released its report card for the 2022–2023 school year in December to show what is working in schools and what needs improvement.
In South Alabama, only two school systems received all A's: Satsuma City Schools and Gulf Shores City Schools.
State Superintendent Eric Mackey said the report can be used to show what is happening inside Alabama's public schools.
"We want everyone to be aware of what is going on in the schools across our state," said Mackey. "We are committed to providing easily manipulative online tools that show rich, detailed data in a way that is intuitive, simple, readable, and parent-friendly. This is a useful resource for anyone interested in Alabama's public education data."
The report card is based on indicators of academic achievement, academic growth, graduation rate, progress in English language proficiency, chronic absenteeism, and college and career readiness.
Gulf Shores Elementary School scored a 92, Gulf Shores Middle School scored a 90, and Gulf Shores High School scored a 91. Gulf Shores has a total of 2,386 students.
Satsuma City Schools consists of two schools and has a total of 1,475 students. Robert E. Lee Elementary School scored a 92, and Satsuma High School scored a 90.
Satsuma City Schools has a motto: "We are Satsuma! Excellence today. Leaders tomorrow."
The motto is derived from the system's strategic planning process.
Superintendent Dr. Tim Guinn said that the system is dedicated to manifesting hard work and determination through that process.
"We try to instill high expectations in the children we teach and strive daily to give them the confidence and tools they need to succeed, not only on the state test but also in life," Guinn told 1819 News.
Guinn said the achievement should be celebrated throughout the entire community.
"It feels really good to see the fruits of the labor of our teachers and students recognized by the state in its annual reporting," Guinn added. "Our teachers have worked very hard this past year to raise student academic success in both growth and achievement categories."
"The grade of 'A' given to our schools has served to not only recognize and congratulate but also to challenge our schools to even greater heights of success," he continued. "Our community also joins our schools in this celebration of our student's achievements and fully supports them in their efforts to grow even more."
To view the State Report Card, click here.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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