Governor Kay Ivey on Monday officially proclaimed Public Schools Week in Alabama and continued celebrating the historic gains made by students and educators across the state.
“Every child deserves a high-quality education, and every teacher deserves the right training and support. Together, Alabama’s students and teachers are proving that by focusing on the fundamentals of education and by working hard in the classroom, we can unlock a promising future for every child and for our state,” said Ivey. “Strong students lead to a strong Alabama, and a strong Alabama is our goal.”
Throughout her administration, Ivey has made students’ education one of her top priorities. Recent national news stories have highlighted Alabama’s unique strategies in advancing the overall quality of learning. Ivey said she believes Alabama serves as an instructional model for other states looking to improve education.
The governor declared in her 2025 state of the state address, “We are, in fact, not just a football state… Alabama is an education state!”
In 2017 shortly after Ivey took office, she launched her “Strong Start, Strong Finish” education initiative which creates a seamless classroom to workforce pipeline.
Alabama, according to Ivey’s press release, continues to lead by investing in the youngest learners through the expansion of its nationally recognized First Class Pre-K program and the implementation of the Alabama Literacy Act. The Alabama First Class Pre-K program has been recognized as the highest-quality state-funded pre-kindergarten program in the nation for nearly two decades.
Throughout Ivey’s administration, Alabama’s public schools have demonstrated measurable progress that reflects “the dedication of students, teachers and families,” Ivey’s release shared. In 2017, Alabama ranked dead last at 52nd in 4th grade math, and in 4th grade reading, Alabama ranked 49th. Today, Alabama has the largest increase in 4th grade math. Now, Alabama ranks 32nd in math and 34th in reading. Alabama is first in the nation in math recovery and third in reading.
Ivey said her strategy focuses on these fundamentals of reading and math through the full implementation of both the Literacy and Numeracy Acts. The governor is also focused on student attendance. “Very impressively, Alabama has the lowest percentage of chronic absenteeism in the country and is a top five state for computer science thanks to the governor’s continued focus on preparing students for the future,” the Governor’s press release stated.
Beyond future success, Ivey said she has been focused on the overall wellbeing of students throughout her administration. In 2022, Ivey launched the Turnaround Schools Initiative which targets a group of Alabama’s lowest-performing, often high-poverty, elementary schools for intensive support and increased funding. Through this program, these schools are able to utilize a framework based on leadership, teacher growth, improving classrooms and creating a strong school environment.
Ivey said she also believes in setting high expectations for Alabama students because she has confidence they can achieve success.
Alabama’s high school graduation rate is 92 percent, one of the highest in the nation. The College and Career Readiness Rate has increased to 88 percent, an all-time record for Alabama. There are 500,000 more credentialed men and women joining the workforce.
Ivey said it has been her goal to ensure an increase in teacher’s pay and opportunities. Alabama’s teachers continue earning high marks, and this year, Ivey proposed another pay raise for Alabama teachers, which means teachers have seen an almost 20 percent pay increase since she became governor.
“Alabama’s education gains and national recognition is a testament to Ivey’s vision and leadership, and the dedication of the students and teachers across all 67 counties,” Ivey’s release stated.
