Turnaround Talk
August 2025
Important Dates
2025 -2026 School Appreciation Dates
August
- Students Return (see below)
- August 4...Beyond Grade 3 Literacy Support Virtual Meeting...10:30 - 11:30
- August 7...Submit Peer Coaches for Beyond Grade 3 Literacy Support
- August 25 - 26... Peer Coaching In-Person Professional Learning (Location TBD)
September
- Sept. 1...Labor Day
- Sept. 9...Turnaround Principals Academy
September 3-18...Beyond Grade 3 On-site Support (Specific school dates will follow.)
September 29-October 10...Beyond Grade 3 On-site Support (Specific school dates will follow.)
September 23 & 24...Beyond Grade 3 Peer Coaching In-Person BOY Data Dive (Location TBD)
Beyond Grade 3 Literacy Support
The Governor's Turnaround Initiative and the Alabama Reading Initiative – Beyond Grade 3 are collaborating to offer educators in the Governor's Turnaround Initiative Cohort an opportunity to participate in a groundbreaking Peer Coaching Project. This project is designed to enhance literacy achievement beyond third grade by extending established structures and supports that promote data-informed decision-making aimed at increasing student proficiency.
Grounded in the Alabama Multi-Tiered System of Support (AL MTSS) framework, the Peer Coaching Project focuses on differentiating tiered literacy instruction to meet the needs of all students.
Participating educators in grades 4 and 5 will engage in job-embedded, high-quality professional learning aligned with the science of reading. This professional learning will support the full implementation of the 2021 Alabama Course of Study: English Language Arts standards, facilitate the development of Alabama’s student-centered peer coaching model, and promote the sustained use of evidence-based instructional strategies. Additionally, it will guide educators in establishing ongoing progress monitoring structures to track student growth and ensure long-term academic success.
This work will be guided by Charissa Lambert, who is working side-by-side with Misty Wilson (ARI - Beyond Grade 3) to ensure continuity between the work taking place in Grades K-3 and in Grades 4-5. This introduction letter contains additional information regarding this opportunity.
Spring 2025 ACAP Reading Snapshot: Continued Progress in Turnaround Schools
Our Governors Turnaround Schools continue to make meaningful gains in reading, steadily closing the gap with peers across Alabama.
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Performance Highlights
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7 of our 15 schools exceeded 80% sufficiency, with 3 schools surpassing 90%.
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Six schools have improved their ACAP Reading results for three consecutive years.
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Trend Analysis
While the State of Alabama continues to post higher overall scores, the gap between our schools and the state average narrowed again from 2023 to 2024. This reflects significant growth across our schools and a positive trajectory in reading proficiency. -
Spotlight on Wilcox County
According to PARCA, only 4% of Wilcox County students were not sufficient this year. This performance ranks the district in the top 20 statewide, a remarkable achievement considering that 91% of students are economically disadvantaged.
Together, these results affirm that our turnaround work is yielding measurable impact and positioning our students for long-term success.
Turnaround Principals Academy
Launching This Fall: The Learning Exchange - A Secondary Professional Learning Network
Alabama MTSS, the Office of Extended Learning, and APLDS are excited to introduce the Secondary Learning Exchange, a dynamic professional learning series designed for secondary instructional leaders statewide.
Highlights:
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Kickoff in September: Learn from national leadership experts Dr. Peter DeWitt and Dr. Michael Nelson at five statewide locations. (Register HERE)
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Regional Sessions: Four follow-up sessions at 11 Inservice Centers, featuring high-impact topics like: (Register HERE)
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Master Scheduling
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Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
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Data-Driven Assessment
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Flexible Learning: Join our “Night Shift” virtual PD sessions with Dr. DeWitt and Dr. Nelson for evening learning options.
Participants can earn APLDS, CEU credit, and even complete an ACLD PLU as part of this series.
Registration is open now, space is limited!
Power Planning Session - Recordings Now Available 📹
In the spring, our Turnaround Specialists hosted seven virtual Power Planning Sessions tailored to the specific needs identified through recent audit results. These sessions focused on key areas for growth that are common across all Turnaround Schools, offering practical strategies and targeted support.
To ensure all leaders have access to this valuable information, we've recorded each session. Whether you’d like to revisit a session or share it with colleagues who were unable to attend, the full set of recordings is now available at the link below.
We encourage you to explore these resources as you continue to lead transformational change in your schools.
PREP (Preparing Relief Educators Program)
The PREP Program is designed to provide high-quality resources to emergency-certificate teachers, long-term substitutes, and early service teachers, empowering them to excel in their roles and make a positive, long-lasting difference in the lives of their students.
If you have any teachers that fall in one of these categories I encourage you to make this resource available to them. A list of topics and supporting resources can be found HERE.
OSI - Leadership Coach
Email: tim.solley@alsde.edu
Website: ALSDE Office of Student Learning
Twitter: @Tim_Solley