Press Release: Wilcox County’s Remarkable Reading Success Amid Economic Challenges
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In a striking achievement, Wilcox County, one of Alabama’s poorest school districts, showcased outstanding progress in literacy education, with 96% of its third graders meeting state reading benchmarks. This success defies the typical narrative linking poverty to low academic performance, as over 90% of Wilcox students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
Rep. Terri Collins, the architect of the Alabama Literacy Act, expressed her satisfaction with Wilcox’s results, emphasizing the collective efforts of teachers, students, and families. The Act, intended to enhance reading skills, has evidently played a pivotal role in this achievement.
While statewide reading scores dipped to 88%, down from 91% the previous year after the state board raised benchmarks, Wilcox’s results highlighted effective approaches. PARCA (Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama) identified essential interventions in Wilcox’s strategy, such as reading coaches, teacher training in the science of reading, and consistent monitoring of student progress.
The impact of state investments in literacy is evident beyond Wilcox, with both Selma and Lowndes County achieving similar success rates despite high poverty levels. Notably, during the past three years, 13 high-poverty districts have improved reading proficiency by over 20 percentage points.
Significantly, Wilcox’s success is attributed to investments made over the last decade in early childhood education and engaging parents as pivotal educators. Superintendent Andre Saulsberry highlighted that these long-term efforts are now bearing fruit, specifically through initiatives like the Governor’s Turnaround School program.
Despite these victories, challenges remain, especially among middle and upper grades. Moving forward, Wilcox County schools will continue their journey towards sustained literacy improvements as they transition out of temporary state support.
Collins remains optimistic, stating, "It shows what we’ve been saying all along: Every single child can learn to read."
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