{"id":17674,"date":"2025-07-03T08:05:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T12:05:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/?p=17674"},"modified":"2025-07-14T08:26:55","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T12:26:55","slug":"acap-reading-cut-scores-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/news-blog\/acap-reading-cut-scores-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"ACAP Reading: How Did Students Perform With New Cut Scores in 2025?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alabamaachieves.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alabama State Department of Education<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> recently released the latest ACAP reading scores for 2nd and 3rd grade students\u2014and for the first time, they reflect newly raised cut scores. These updated benchmarks, part of the 2024\u20132025 and 2025\u20132026 school years, are reshaping how Alabama defines &#8220;on grade level&#8221; reading proficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While early literacy remains a priority under the Alabama Literacy Act, the more rigorous standards provide a clearer picture of student readiness. And despite the tougher expectations, many students\u2014and schools\u2014are rising to meet the challenge.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How Did Students Do This Year?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite tougher benchmarks, most students met the new expectations:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>2nd Grade<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 81% of students scored at or above grade level.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>3rd Grade<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 88.4% met the promotion threshold of 444\u2014just slightly down from 91% last year under a lower cut score.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey noted that these results show real improvement, not decline. \u201cWhen we apply the new cut scores to past data, this year\u2019s students are performing better,\u201d he explained.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Progress Learning Schools Leading the Way<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Of the 738 Alabama schools that scored above the state average in 2nd and\/or 3rd grade reading, <strong>161 partner with Progress Learning<\/strong>\u2014that\u2019s <strong>nearly 22% of all top-performing schools<\/strong> statewide, and more than one in five!<\/p>\n<p>This is not a coincidence. These results demonstrate how Progress Learning\u2019s ACAP-aligned assessments, phonics support, and adaptive interventions directly contribute to student growth. Our tools don\u2019t just help schools meet the new cut scores\u2014they help them<strong> exceed<\/strong> them.<\/p>\n<h2><b>2nd Grade: How Did the Cut Scores Change?<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>2025 Cut Scores<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Level 1: Below 433<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Level 2: 433\u2013453<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Level 3: 454\u2013474<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Level 4: 475+<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Compared to 2024<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The promotion cut score increased from 454 to 463\u2014a nine-point jump that reflects higher expectations in decoding, fluency, and comprehension. Many Progress Learning schools not only met but exceeded these new demands, with several surpassing the 90% proficiency mark.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>3rd Grade: How Did the Cut Scores Change?<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>2025 Cut Scores<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Level 1: Below 435<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Level 2: 435\u2013455<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Level 3: 456\u2013476<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Level 4: 477+<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Compared to 2024<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The promotion threshold rose from 435 to 444. This shift aligns with national benchmarks and gives educators a clearer view of whether students are prepared for 4th grade and beyond. While overall percentages dipped slightly, the new scores more accurately reflect student readiness.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How Progress Learning Supports Alabama Schools<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Progress Learning is designed to help Alabama schools meet higher standards with targeted support and data-driven tools:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/schools-districts\/alabama\/elementary-school\/\"><b>ACAP-Aligned Practice<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Pre-built and customizable assessments reflect the rigor and format of ACAP, helping students get comfortable with test expectations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/solutions\/supplemental-phonics-program\/\"><b>Phonics &amp; Foundational Reading<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Structured phonics instruction supports early readers as they build decoding and fluency skills critical for ACAP success.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/our-products\/liftoff-adaptive-intervention-2-8\/\"><b>Liftoff Adaptive Intervention<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: When students need extra support, Liftoff creates individualized learning paths based on diagnostic data, including full integration with NWEA MAP for Alabama schools.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the state continues to raise expectations in reading, tools like Progress Learning provide the scaffolding schools need to ensure every student rises with them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Subscribe below for more updates on ACAP prep and scores.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<script charset=\"utf-8\" type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/js.hsforms.net\/forms\/embed\/v2.js\"><\/script>\r\n<script>\r\n\thbspt.forms.create({\r\n\t\tregion: \"na1\",\r\n\t\tportalId: \"23272034\",\r\n\t\tformId: \"c970216b-3a79-4ad1-a9d7-920aea441c78\"\r\n\t});\r\n<\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Alabama State Department of Education recently released the latest ACAP reading scores for 2nd and 3rd grade students\u2014and for the first time, they reflect newly raised cut scores. These updated benchmarks, part of the 2024\u20132025 and 2025\u20132026 school years, are reshaping how Alabama defines &#8220;on grade level&#8221; reading proficiency. While early literacy remains a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":17678,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"\ud83d\udea8 New ACAP Reading scores are in\u2014and Progress Learning schools are leading the way! \ud83d\udcda\ud83d\udcaa From Mobile to Huntsville, see which campuses are crushing the new cut scores. #ACAP2025 #EdTech #ProgressLearning","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[293],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alabama"],"acf":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Blog-ACAP-Reading-Scores.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17674","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17674"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17674\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17709,"href":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17674\/revisions\/17709"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17674"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17674"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17674"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}