Alabama School Board Grapples with ACT Testing and a Six Billion Six Hundred Million Dollar FY27 Budget

Alabama’s Dual Testing Future: Striking a Balance Between College and Career Readiness

The recent meeting of Alabama’s state school board brought to light some thought-provoking proposals as educators, administrators, and policymakers work together to tackle the tricky parts and tangled issues surrounding high school assessment and budgeting. The board’s debate on whether to continue using the ACT as the state’s primary measure of high school performance—and how to possibly integrate the ACT WorkKeys exam—has sparked discussions that touch on both college readiness and career preparedness for thousands of students across Alabama.

In this editorial, we take a closer look at the board’s proposals, weighing the pros and cons of keeping the ACT vs. bringing in career-focused assessments. We also examine the implications of a $6.6 billion fiscal year 2027 budget request that addresses modern challenges in education funding, from support for struggling readers to rising transportation costs. By digging into the details, we aim to provide a clear picture of the future of education metrics in Alabama and the broader implications for state and federal policy.

Revisiting the ACT as a Sole Measure: Is It Time for Change?

For years, the ACT has stood as the single metric to gauge a high school’s performance in Alabama—one that drives school report card scores and ties directly to federal accountability standards. However, many superintendents and educators have grown concerned that this single measure does not fully capture the diverse abilities of students, particularly those headed directly into the workforce. The board’s discussion on whether juniors should continue taking this college entrance exam as a primary evaluation tool is a reflection of both the state’s commitment to academic excellence and a desire to modernize its accountability system.

Alabama’s Testing Dilemma: More Than Just College-Readiness

The current reliance on the ACT has several implications. On one hand, the exam is a well-known benchmark for college readiness—a familiar yardstick for students who plan to pursue higher education. On the other hand, it lacks the breadth required to assess the career- or workforce-focused skills that are essential in today’s economy. This dual expectation has raised several questions:

Does the ACT truly reflect the fine points of Alabama’s English, math, and science standards?
How can the system better serve students choosing career pathways over college?
What additional assessments might offer a balanced view of both academic and technical skills?

These questions weigh heavily on today’s education policy because they underscore an important twist in our approach to learning in the 21st century. For many educators, it is not just about college readiness anymore—preparing a student for success might equally mean equipping them with practical skills and abilities essential to immediate entry into the job market.

Introducing ACT WorkKeys: A Step Toward a More Nuanced Assessment

The board’s work group, led by notable superintendents such as Ann Jackson of Jasper City Schools and Tony Willis of Calhoun County Schools, proposed an innovative shift: combining the traditional ACT with the ACT WorkKeys exam. This change, aimed at adding a measure of career readiness, suggests that students should be assessed on both traditional academic skills and their ability to apply learning to real-world problems.

This proposal represents a strategic response to what many see as a single-sided evaluation system. By pairing the ACT with WorkKeys, Alabama might be able to:

Provide a more balanced assessment that does justice to both college-bound and career-focused students.
Align testing methods with federal education policies under the Every Student Succeeds Act—even as new flexibilities are being explored by the U.S. Department of Education.
Measure growth in a way that strengthens schools’ understanding of where students excel and where additional support might be needed.

Supporters of this dual-assessment approach argue that adding WorkKeys can help paint a broader picture of a student’s abilities. For instance, while the ACT can capture academic potential, the WorkKeys exam shines a light on the little details of how a student might perform in practical, on-the-job scenarios—a perspective that is especially important given today’s ever-evolving job market.

Balancing College and Career Goals: A Closer Look at the Dual Assessment Proposal

This debate on the testing strategy is not just an internal measure—it holds significant implications for the overall educational experience in Alabama. If implemented, it could lead to a seismic shift in how educators and students view academic success. Instead of a narrow focus on college readiness, schools would need to adapt their teaching methods to support both pathways.

Examining the Dual-Assessment Approach

The dual-assessment strategy aims to do the following:

Equal Weight for Career Skills: Recognizing that a student’s postsecondary success might include success on the ACT WorkKeys exam as a critical indicator of job readiness.
Expanded Opportunities: Allowing students and educators to identify strengths and areas for improvement beyond a single traditional test score.
Fairer Accountability Measures: Addressing disparities in school report cards, where high schools often score lower because performance is heavily tied to the ACT.

By integrating WorkKeys, the approach seems to correct what many view as a skewed system that places undue pressure on high school juniors. It might also encourage schools to refine their curricula, ensuring that the subtle parts of career readiness are not neglected.

Challenges and Considerations

However, this proposal isn’t without its own twists and turns. Some of the challenges include:

Implementation Costs: Rolling out another high-stakes exam can be nerve-racking for districts already facing tight budgets.
Training and Preparation: Teachers and administrators must be trained to understand and interpret the new evaluation metrics—an intimidating task for some.
Federal Compliance: The board must secure approvals through federal channels, a process that might be off-putting given the typically slow pace of change in educational policy.

These challenges are by no means insurmountable. With careful planning and support from both the state board and local educators, Alabama could pioneer a testing model that adequately serves a broader spectrum of student needs.

Decoding the FY27 Budget Request: Navigating Funding Priorities

In tandem with the testing debate, the board also set its sights on crafting a robust $6.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2027. This proposal is far from a routine recounting of numbers—it represents significant funding shifts that underscore the board’s commitment to modernizing education in Alabama. New budget allocations are designed to address crucial areas such as struggling reader support, transportation, early math instruction, and career-tech programs.

The Budget Breakdown: Key Areas of Focus

The FY27 budget request underscores several priorities. Below is a detailed look at some of the key funding areas:

Funding Category	Allocated Amount	Purpose
Struggling Readers Support	$52 Million	Support for grades 4-12 students requiring additional help
Transportation	$615.4 Million	Funds to cover the skyrocketing costs of school buses
Early Math Instruction	Not Specified	Initiatives to enhance foundational math skills in early grades
Career-Tech Programs	Expansion Funds Within Overall Budget	Improvements to career readiness programs and vocational training
School Safety	Included within the Overall Proposal	Enhancements to security measures across schools

This table not only lays out the fine points of the budget but also serves as a visual tool for understanding the state’s key priorities. The emphasis on struggling readers is especially notable given past years’ funding patterns. Allocating $52 million exactly signals a determined effort to ensure that every student who needs extra help can receive it.

Rising Transportation Costs: A Headwind for School Budgets

One of the more surprising—and perhaps unsettling—findings in the board’s budget discussion is the dramatic rise in transportation costs. In recent years, the price of school buses has more than doubled, with estimates suggesting costs around $160,000 per bus compared to the $80,000 to $90,000 range from eight years ago. This dramatic shift places additional pressure on already tight school budgets, making it essential to figure a path forward that accommodates these increased expenses.

State Superintendent Eric Mackey highlighted that rising bus costs are one of the tricky parts of managing the overall budget and ensuring that funds are allocated fairly. These rising budgets, while intimidating at first glance, are a reflection of broader economic trends that demand creative budgeting solutions and flexibility from state administrators and policymakers alike.

Investing in Early Education and Career-Tech Programs

Another major priority in the FY27 budget request is the focus on early math instruction and expanded career-tech programs. Early education, particularly in mathematics, is seen as a critical stepping stone for lifelong academic and professional success. Providing robust early learning experiences can help enshrine a foundation that will benefit students long into the future.

Expanding career-tech programs is also seen as a super important move. In many ways, it aligns with the broader push for integrating career readiness within the accountability framework. These programs are designed to equip students with the practical skills they need in today’s job market—offering pathways that are both academically and practically enriching.

School Board Business: Routine Items and Certification Updates

Aside from the testing and budgeting proposals, the meeting also covered several routine matters that underscore the day-to-day functions of the state board of education. These items, while seemingly administrative, have an impact on educators, students, and the broader education ecosystem in Alabama.

Teacher Certification and Reading Test Updates

An important, though often overlooked, part of the meeting involved changes to teacher certification requirements. The board approved an update to the reading test required for elementary-grade teacher certification. This update was largely prompted by Pearson’s rebranding of the assessment previously known as Foundations of Reading, now renamed to 890, though the passing score remains unchanged at 233.

While it might seem like a small adjustment, this decision carries significant weight for educators who are required to pass multiple tests before they receive their certification. The update serves as a reminder that even the subtle parts of the education process—such as maintaining consistent testing standards—hold critical importance in ensuring that teachers are well-prepared to support their students.

Other Routine Agenda Items

The formal part of the board meeting, although brief, covered several other routine items:

Proclaiming October 13-17 as “National School Lunch Week” to raise awareness about school nutrition programs.
Updating rules for school-lunch staff qualifications to ensure that food service professionals meet quality standards.
Adopting the Department of Education’s operating budget for fiscal year 2026, a step that provides a financial baseline moving forward.

Even routine decisions, such as these, involve their own set of little twists and tangled issues that must be carefully managed. It is a reminder that behind every major policy discussion lie a series of administrative details that, together, shape the educational experience in our state.

Potential Impact on Students and Educators: A Balanced Perspective

The proposals discussed at the board meeting are loaded with potential to fundamentally reshape how educational success is measured in Alabama. Yet, as with any significant change, they come with both promise and challenges.

Opportunities for Enhanced Student Preparedness

Many education specialists believe that integrating a dual-assessment model will provide a more well-rounded snapshot of student abilities. Instead of confining evaluation solely to college readiness, combining the ACT with WorkKeys opens doors for recognizing achievements in:

Applied problem solving and real-world reasoning.
Technical and vocational skills that are crucial for entering the workforce.
Growth in subjects that are not adequately captured by a college entrance exam.

This approach could lead to tailored educational interventions where students receive mixed support—whether they are on a college track or diving directly into careers. The need to identify and nurture specific talents aligns with an evolving understanding of what it means to be “college- or career-ready.”

Educator Concerns and Adaptive Challenges

For many teachers, the possibility of an added testing component is both exciting and nerve-racking. Changes in standardized assessments have the potential to disrupt established teaching methods, and educators might face an intimidating adjustment period as they familiarize themselves with new substrates, evaluation criteria, and reporting expectations.

Some of the concerns voiced by educators include:

Resource Allocation: Additional assessments often require enhanced professional development for teachers and new learning materials for students.
Increased Stress: A broader testing regime may increase pressure on students and staff alike, making the process seem overwhelming at times.
Equity in Implementation: Ensuring that all schools, regardless of their funding levels, can successfully integrate the new dual assessment system may present complicated pieces that need thorough planning.

As policy shifts are considered, it is critical for state officials to involve educators in the discussion. Only by working through these challenges collaboratively can a system that truly benefits all can be built.

Weighing Federal Oversight and State Autonomy in Testing Policies

Federal education policies, such as those outlined under the Every Student Succeeds Act, play a crucial role in shaping how state assessments are designed and implemented. The Alabama board’s actions in reconsidering its testing strategy resonate across state and federal lines, pointing to a broader trend where states are increasingly seeking flexibility to tailor their assessment methods according to local needs.

Federal Encouragement for Testing Reforms

This summer, the U.S. Department of Education encouraged states to think about new ways of measuring student achievement. Alabama’s decision to have juniors take both the ACT and the WorkKeys exam reflects an effort to align with these recommendations while maintaining compliance with federal accountability standards. The state is, in essence, trying to:

Demonstrate innovation in educational accountability.
Secure a waiver that might allow for a more flexible approach in assessing high school performance.
Respond to concerns that a single test cannot fully capture student achievement across the spectrum.

The anticipated waiver request could set a precedent for how other states address similar challenges. In this vein, Alabama is not only trying to figure a path forward on local educational matters—it is also contributing to the national dialogue on modernizing student assessments in ways that are more inclusive of diverse skill sets.

Balancing State Autonomy with Federal Requirements

While federal recommendations provide a framework, the fine details of implementation must come from within the state. This balancing act involves navigating federal oversight while preserving the unique needs of Alabama’s students and educators. On one hand, federal guidelines ensure that assessments remain rigorous and comparable across states. On the other hand, they can sometimes impose constraints that feel off-putting to local officials who believe in a more tailored approach.

State officials, including board members and superintendents, are actively engaged in this balancing process. Their work reflects a commitment to keeping federal involvement in check while ensuring that the tests and funding priorities truly serve the needs of every student—whether they are headed for college or stepping directly into the workforce.

Charting the Path Forward: Systemic Benefits and Future Considerations

The intersection of testing reforms and budget proposals represents a critical juncture in Alabama’s education policy. With the dual goals of modernizing testing systems and allocating increased funding for pressing educational needs, the board is taking steps that may define the future of the state’s public education for years to come.

Potential Systemic Benefits

Should the dual reassessment strategy and FY27 budget proposals gain traction, several systemic benefits could emerge:

Comprehensive Evaluation Framework: A dual testing system may provide a fuller picture of student performance by acknowledging both academic and practical skills.
Targeted Interventions for Struggling Readers: With a $52 million boost, programs aimed at helping older struggling readers can be expanded and refined, ensuring no student is left behind.
Enhanced Career-Tech Opportunities: More funding for career and technical education could lead to stronger partnerships with local businesses and a more skilled workforce.
Improved Long-Term Planning: Recognizing the rapid rise in costs—such as transportation—can motivate smarter, future-proof budgeting that anticipates upcoming needs.

These benefits, if realized, would represent a holistic approach to education—one that acknowledges that success in modern society requires versatility and adaptability in assessment methods, as well as investment in the areas that truly matter.

Future Considerations and Points of Caution

As with any major policy overhaul, there are points of caution that must be taken into account:

Transition Periods: Implementing dual assessments may involve an adjustment period that could be off-putting for students, parents, and educators alike if support mechanisms are not put in place.
Data Integration: Balancing two different sets of assessment data to provide a clear picture of student performance may introduce confusing bits into the system that require careful monitoring.
Equity in Access: It is essential to ensure that all school districts have the necessary resources—not just the financial backing, but also the training—to effectively implement changes.
Feedback Loops: Ongoing evaluation and adjustment based on feedback from the ground up will be critical to ensure that the new approach serves its intended purpose over time.

These points call for a deliberate, phased approach to reform. The board’s decision to move forward with proposals while simultaneously addressing routine certification updates and regulatory adjustments shows an understanding that educational policy is rarely black and white—it’s full of problems that require careful, measured solutions.

Voices from the Field: Educators and Administrators Weigh In

The discussions taking place within the board room are echoed by educators across the state. Interviews and informal conversations reveal that opinions are mixed—some hail the dual approach as a long-overdue modernization, while others worry about the additional burdens on already stretched school systems.

Perspectives from School Leaders

Key voices in the debate include superintendents who are grappling with the subtle details of the current testing system. For instance:

Jasper City Schools Superintendent Ann Jackson highlighted that combining the ACT and WorkKeys would not only validate the college-bound students but also give voice to those heading straight to the workforce. This balanced evaluation could provide the necessary indicators of success across multiple educational goals.
Calhoun County Schools Superintendent Tony Willis emphasized that the challenge is to prepare every student for postsecondary success—whether that means college achievement or job market readiness. In his view, the ACT only presents one side of the story, and adding WorkKeys addresses some of the hidden complexities.

These viewpoints underscore a broader consensus: the need for a system that appreciates the little twists in student achievement rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all measure. Educators are aware that the road ahead is lined with both promising opportunities and potentially overwhelming challenges.

Insights from the Conference Room

The latest board meeting did not just highlight opinions; it also set the stage for pragmatic action. Beyond the debates, the meeting was marked by a series of routine yet critical decisions that remind us of the balance required in managing a state’s educational framework. For example, the update in teacher certification tests reflects an ongoing commitment to maintaining quality instruction—an essential cornerstone for any successful education policy.

These decisions, while routine on the surface, are vital in ensuring that changes in testing and budgeting are smoothly integrated into every aspect of the educational ecosystem—from classroom instruction to state policy oversight.

Looking Ahead: The Next Steps in Policy and Implementation

With the proposals on dual testing and a comprehensive FY27 budget in the spotlight, the next few months promise to be a busy period for policy-makers, educators, and stakeholders in Alabama. Critical steps in the process include securing federal approval for the new testing framework and refining the budget to meet the Nov. 1 deadline for agencies to submit their final proposals.

Federal Approval and Waiver Requests

State Superintendent Eric Mackey has indicated that the department is preparing a waiver request to the U.S. Department of Education. While federal approval might take six months or more, its outcome will set the tone for how adaptable and forward-thinking Alabama’s educational system can be. In the meantime, stakeholders are encouraged to:

Stay informed about upcoming changes and the reasoning behind them.
Participate in feedback sessions and community meetings to voice their concerns and suggestions.
Collaborate with local district leaders to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible.

This proactive approach is essential to smooth out any rough patches, ensuring that the system is ready for the inevitable nerve-racking adjustments that come with major policy shifts.

Adapting to Budgetary Changes and Rising Costs

The FY27 budget is another area that deserves careful attention. With the overall funding request up by $347 million from the previous fiscal year, prioritizing how these funds are distributed will be a critical exercise. The doubling of costs for school buses is just one example of a challenge that requires both swift attention and imaginative budgeting solutions. State officials have noted that:

A vigilant eye on rising costs is necessary to prevent budget overruns.
Allocating funds for critical supports in areas like early math and struggling reader programs is non-negotiable.
Balancing short-term needs with long-term goals is key in forming a budget that reliably serves future generations of students.

By keeping an open channel of communication with educators, community leaders, and even federal officials, Alabama can work through these complicated pieces and set a sound financial path forward.

Conclusion: Embracing Change for a Brighter Educational Future

The decisions made at the recent Alabama state school board meeting may seem like a mixed bundle of proposed changes and routine administrative updates. However, when we take a closer look, it becomes evident that these actions reflect a profound willingness to address the subtle details and hidden complexities of modern education. By considering a dual-assessment method that utilizes both the ACT and WorkKeys, Alabama is acknowledging the need to support students regardless of whether they are college-bound or ready to dive into the workforce.

Likewise, the FY27 budget request—replete with targeted funding for struggling readers, career-tech programs, and essential transportation—signals a comprehensive approach that marries immediate needs with a long-term vision. While these changes come with their own set of challenges and, at times, overwhelming adjustments, they also offer exciting opportunities to reimagine what success in education truly looks like.

For educators, policymakers, and community members alike, the road ahead may seem a bit tangled at times. However, by working through the twists and turns with open dialogue and thoughtful planning, Alabama has the potential to set a benchmark for truly balanced educational reform—a model that takes into account both academic rigor and real-world applicability.

As we look to the future, it is essential to remain engaged, stay informed, and continue the conversation about how best to support the diverse needs of our students. Whether it is tweaking standardized tests or adjusting multi-billion-dollar budgets to match rising costs, the journey toward a more nuanced and equitable education system is one that requires all of us to find our way together.

In these times of significant change, let us remember that every policy shift, every dollar allocated, and every test administered is not an end in itself. Rather, they are essential stepping stones in preparing our students to excel in a world where academic and career readiness go hand in hand. By embracing both innovative assessment strategies and thoughtful budget planning, Alabama can pave the way for a brighter, more adaptable future in education for all.

Originally Post From https://aldailynews.com/alabama-school-board-weighs-act-for-juniors-6-6b-fy27-budget/