Mobile Courant

Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) acknowledged Alabama's unique achievement in improving post-COVID math scores among fourth graders. In a statement, Tuberville emphasized the state's success amid nationwide educational challenges following the pandemic.

"Our children have suffered emotionally and cognitively because of Democrat lockdowns during the COVID pandemic," said Tuberville. "In many states, students were unnecessarily forced out of the classrooms to learn at home, where many of them didn’t have access to adequate technology and resources."

Tuberville highlighted that while schools across the country continue to face setbacks, Alabama has shown significant progress in math education for fourth graders. He attributed this success to the dedication of Alabama's educators: "This is a testament to Alabama’s dedicated educators who were unwavering in their dedication to equipping our students with the tools to succeed."

The senator expressed pride in Alabama's achievements and optimism for continued leadership in education standards: "I couldn’t be more proud of Alabama’s progress, and know that we will continue to lead the way in setting the gold standard for education."

This statement comes after a report from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which revealed that most states have not returned to pre-pandemic levels of academic performance, with some experiencing further declines. Notably, Alabama was the only state without a decline in fourth-grade math scores post-COVID.

Senator Tuberville has consistently advocated for returning students to traditional classroom settings and supports school choice initiatives.