MCS earns all As on State Report Card

MADISON – Madison City Schools earned all ‘As’ on its first State Report Card, which the Alabama Department of Education was mandated to issue.

The Alabama State Legislature passed Alabama Act No. 2012-402 that required the State Superintendent of Education to develop a school grading system reflective of school and district performance. Released on Feb. 1, the state report cards gave scores and letter grades to every Alabama public school district and school.

The Madison district earned an A with an overall score of 95. Every school in Madison City Schools also earned an A.

On the report card, the grade for a school district combines multiple factors:

* Both achievement and growth in academics.

* Graduation rate and College and Career Readiness for schools with grade 12.

* Chronic absenteeism.

From 137 school districts in Alabama, only 12 received an A as a complete district. All MCS elementary and middle schools received a grade of 95 or higher. Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools were two of six non-magnet high schools in the state that received an A.

Madison City Schools Superintendent Robby Parker said he “was pleased with the scores and won’t let the straight-A results lead to complacency.”

“A school system is comprised of many parts so the credit goes to students, teachers, instructional teams, parents and all the support services that create such a positive environment,” he said.

Parker, the school board and staff welcome assessments any day. “However, a letter grade is only a symbol,” he said. “The true measure of our effectiveness is how well we are preparing our kids.”

“I am in schools every day and know great things are happening in each of our schools. Again, I am proud of our kids and staff,” Parker said.

Overall rankings for local districts included Huntsville City Schools with a grade of C and score of 75; Madison County Schools, B and 85; and Athens City Schools (high school) with B and 83.