Orr on Alabama Literacy Act: ‘We can’t back down anymore’

State Sen. Arthur Orr believes there’s no reason to again postpone the requirement for third-graders to be proficient in reading before entering the next grade. Signed by Gov. Kay Ivey in 2019, the Alabama Literacy Act requires students in the third grade to demonstrate proficiency in reading by scoring a minimum of 435 on the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program English test before being able to move up to the fourth grade. While the provision was originally supposed to take effect during the 2021-2022 school year, it was later postponed to 2024 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despi