Cullman City Schools system scores straight A’s; Cullman County Schools system earns A
CULLMAN, Ala. – The results of the 2023-2024 Alabama State Department of Education Report Card have been released, and both Cullman City Schools and Cullman County Schools issued press releases addressing their grades.
Cullman City Schools
Cullman City Schools remains among the top districts in the state — with three schools posting their highest scores ever.
Cullman City Schools once again reported all A’s across every school, with the system as a whole achieving its highest grade since the introduction of state report cards. Systemwide, Cullman City Schools reported an overall grade of 95, up from 94 in 2023.
East Elementary School earned a grade of 99, its highest ever, up from 98 in 2023. West Elementary School earned a grade of 96, its highest ever, up from 94 in 2023. Cullman City Primary School earned a grade of 96, its highest ever, up from 95 the prior year. Cullman Middle School moved from a 96 to a 95 this year, and Cullman High School was level at 91 year-to-year.
“We are very fortunate to have the teachers we have in our school system,” Cullman City Schools Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff said. “It’s also worth noting that in the same academic year in which we had the highest grades, we also had the highest special education rate at 13.79% and our highest poverty rate at 40.36%. Our educators do not make excuses and produce unbelievable results.”
In the system’s 2023 Pillars of Commitment, Kallhoff noted the school board made it clear that providing students with support, continuous improvement and training for teachers, and emphasizing rigorous curriculum and assessments was a key districtwide priority.
“I truly believe our state report card performance is a result of these three commitments,” he said.
The following criteria are taken into account when calculating the state report cards: Academic Achievement, Academic Growth, Graduation Rate, College and Career Readiness Rate, Chronic Absenteeism and Progress in English Language Proficiency.
College and career readiness
For 2024, students at Cullman High School achieved an all-time high in the College and Career Readiness Indicator of 95.2%. For the sake of comparison, that indicator has increased from 88.48% in 2018.
The college and career readiness rate reflects a school’s success in preparing students for life after graduation. The higher the score, the more students are ready for college, careers or other opportunities, setting them up for success in the future.
“This achievement highlights Cullman High School’s commitment to excellence and our students’ determination to prepare for life after high school,” Lindsay Brannon, director of academic affairs, said. “It reflects the hard work of our students, teachers and staff, showing that we are preparing them to succeed in any path they choose. By equipping students with the skills and knowledge needed for college, careers and other opportunities, Cullman High School is helping to create brighter futures for our students.”
Improvements in chronic absenteeism
Districtwide for Cullman City Schools, the chronic absenteeism rate was down to 8.3% in 2024, from 9.7% in 2023. For context, the State of Alabama considers chronic absenteeism at 18 days missed. This means students can miss up to 10% of the school year for excused and unexcused reasons. If students miss more than 18 days they are considered chronically absent.
This metric accounts for 10% of the state report card grade. Understandably, this is an area that is difficult for schools to control, as in most cases, attendance starts at home. But chronic absenteeism rates have been trending down over the last three years in Cullman City Schools, a sign that families, students and faculty are all bought in to the importance of consistent attendance.
“This reduction in chronic absenteeism has everything to do with our great families and motivated students,” Kallhoff noted.
Cullman County Schools
Cullman County Schools is proud to announce that the district has received an “A” on its 2023- 2024 State Report Card. Through hard work by our teachers, administrators, staff, superintendent and district leadership, Cullman County Schools has increased its state score by 10 points in the last six reporting years.
“We are thrilled to receive this recognition,” said Dr. Shane Barnette, superintendent of Cullman County Schools. “This A rating is a testament to the commitment of our entire school community to providing high-quality education for every student.”
The State Report Card is a comprehensive assessment of school district performance, measuring factors such as student achievement, growth and graduation rates. The “A” rating achieved by Cullman County Schools indicates exceptional performance in these areas.
Cullman County Schools attributes its success to several key factors:
- Dedicated educators: Highly qualified teachers and staff who are passionate about student learning
- Strong parent partnerships: Collaborative relationships between parents and schools to support student success
- Innovative teaching strategies: The use of cutting-edge instructional methods to engage students
- Focus on student well-being: A commitment to providing a safe and supportive learning environment
Cullman County Schools will continue to strive for excellence and provide the best possible education for all students.
Mrs. Kim Lindsey, Cullman County Schools secondary curriculum coordinator, stated, “Cullman County Schools earning an ‘A’ on the state report card shows the hard work and dedication of our teachers in helping schools succeed. This grade reflects the district’s efforts to overcome learning loss from the pandemic, our increase in graduation rate and college and career readiness and our commitment to providing every child with exceptional educational experiences.”
The school system barely earned a B on the State Report Card for the 2016-2017 school year and everyone throughout the school system went to work and gradually improved the score to an 85 and then a 90 just before COVID. After COVID, it has been a real challenge for the system to get back to where it was previously.
“We have students on 30 different campuses, and I am super excited to say we have great things happening at all of them,” said Barnette. “While our students, faculty, staff, parents and community partners have a lot to be proud of, we cannot have the mindset that we have arrived because there is still so much to be done. Many of our students bring a wide variety of challenges with them to school… from poverty, intellectual, emotional, behavioral and mental health related, we want to help each of them to be successful beyond high school by helping them reach their fullest potential.”
Report card stats from the 2023-2024 report (Overall Score: 90/A)
- Graduation Rate: 97% (up from 94%)
- College & Career Readiness: 98% (up from 97%)
- Chronic Absenteeism: 11% (down from 13%)
- More than half our schools saw an increase in their overall report card score
View the scores for all local public schools at https://reportcard.alsde.edu.
