November 18, 2022

(Hoover, AL) - The Hoover City Schools District (HCS) is celebrating great news about how its students and schools have prospered academically since the COVID-19 pandemic. The recent release of state school report cards for 2022, along with the earlier release of findings from a study by Stanford and Harvard researchers, highlight the school district’s exceptional learning gains since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted school and community routines so profoundly in 2020 and 2021. 

Superintendent Dr. Dee O. Fowler said, “This is the best possible news we could receive after two years of unprecedented distraction and difficulty. Our students and our employees have persevered and excelled beyond all expectations. I could not be more proud of our people!”

The state of Alabama released the first school report cards in 2018, but the reports were suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state report cards include an overall grade out of 100 that is marked on a traditional A to F scale. The overall grade is based on achievement and learning growth as measured by state achievement tests, attendance, English language proficiency, college and career readiness, and graduation rate. There was some concern that scores could drop due to learning losses associated with the disruptions schools experienced because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. It was a pleasant surprise to learn that the steps the district took in the 2021-22 school year to identify and close learning gaps were successful, and for the first time, all 16 schools in the Hoover City Schools District received a state grade of A. 

HCS Chief Learning Officer Dr. Chris Robbins says the latest straight-A report card scores are the result of the collective work of our leaders, teachers, staff, students, and community throughout the last few years. 

“I am just so pleased with and proud of our schools for this awesome accomplishment,” said Dr. Robbins. “Hoover schools shined in many different areas of this year's report card. Specifically, though, our achievement scores and growth data were really impressive and indicate that our students have met or exceeded pre-pandemic levels of learning in reading and math. Our schools and the community should be so proud of this rare accomplishment. It affirms for me that Hoover schools are on a trajectory for continued academic success and growth for our students. We won't stop here – we will continue to push our schools and students to new heights of excellence,” added Dr. Robbins.

Hoover High School Principal John Montgomery says teachers and students had to overcome losses from the pandemic. He says remaining open for in-person learning and hard work paid off. 

Montgomery said, “Our school has been successful because of high-quality teachers who teach the standards to motivated students who want to learn. Teachers spent extra time planning lessons that helped the students that were on track, as well as supplemental lessons to help the students who had fallen behind. The keys to success were good planning, making academics a priority, and teamwork by our teachers, students, and parents.”

Shades Mountain Elementary School’s principal Kevin Erwin says the tangible successes are the result of an invested team and cohesive strategies. 

“In collaborating with our district leaders and building-level instructional coaches, we were able to make intentional moves tailored to each student's individual needs. In weekly meetings, teachers collaborated with our leadership team to create clear takeaways and ran the assigned plays to fidelity. A great plan combined with hard work and dedication will produce lasting and fruitful results. I am extremely grateful to the teachers and students of Shades Mountain,” said Erwin.  

The State Report Card scores are yet another example of the district’s post-pandemic academic growth and success. A national study conducted by Stanford and Harvard Universities recognized HCS for overall positive academic outcomes in math and reading and substantial learning gains for students in poverty, black students, and Hispanic students. According to last year’s state testing data, achievement levels for Hoover students grew at a rate of more than twice the state average in every area, placing HCS among the highest-achieving school districts in the state for English language arts, math, and science for 2022.

You can view the 2021-2022 report card for any school district or school by following this link to the ALSDE website. 

You may also use the following links to view Student Achievement data:

2021-2022 ELA Assessment

2021-2022 Math Assessment

2021-2022 Science Assessment