What does a student learn in
Alabama runs on its own playbook. Rather than adopting a national framework, the state writes a Course of Study for each subject and revises them on a rolling schedule, with the State Board signing off on each version. That means the rules for what gets taught in an Alabama classroom are set in Montgomery, not borrowed from a consortium. Teachers work from documents written for Alabama students and Alabama districts.
- Alabama Course of Study
- What students learn
- English and math both follow the Alabama Course of Study from kindergarten through twelfth grade, with the math sequence opening into Algebra and Geometry in high school. Science is also state-written, organized around what students should be able to do at each grade rather than a list of facts to memorize. Social studies runs as a multi-year sequence that builds from Alabama history in the early grades toward U.S. history, world history, and government by the end of high school.
- How students are measured
- Alabama's specific testing program is not reflected on this page, so treat the assessment picture here as incomplete. In practice, Alabama students sit for a state accountability test in the spring of the elementary and middle grades, and high schoolers take a college-readiness exam before graduation. Families wanting the current testing calendar should check directly with the Alabama State Department of Education or their local district.
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
- Subjects covered
- 4
- Grade levels
- 13
- Standards on file
- 3,605
- Assessments tracked
- 0
Does Alabama use Common Core?
No. Alabama withdrew from Common Core and writes its own standards, called the Alabama Course of Study. The state Board of Education approves each subject's standards, and they often differ from what neighboring states use.
Which subjects have official state standards?
Alabama publishes a Course of Study for English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Other subjects like the arts, physical education, and world languages have their own Course of Study documents adopted on separate cycles.
How often do the standards change?
Each Course of Study runs on roughly a six-year revision cycle, staggered by subject. A committee of Alabama educators drafts the revisions, and the state Board of Education votes to adopt them before they reach classrooms.
What standardized test do Alabama students take?
Alabama uses the ACAP Summative in the spring for students in grades 2 through 8, covering reading, math, and science at certain grades. High school students take the ACT in 11th grade as the state's college and career readiness measure.
Where can someone see what students learn each year?
The grade-level pages on this site break the Course of Study into what students are expected to know and do by the end of the year. Pick a subject and grade to see the specific standards.