The City of Birmingham is once again teaming up with Birmingham City Schools and the community with a shared goal: enhancing student reading skills. During the 2023-2024 school year, Birmingham City Schools saw a 33% increase in 3^rd grade reading abilities.

Beginning this school year, 70% of third graders in BCS are reading at grade level. To continue the push for ensuring every third grader in the City of Birmingham can read at or above grade level, Page Pals returns this fall!

To support our students, Page Pals is a reading initiative created in partnership with BCS to increase reading proficiency for elementary school students, specifically K-3. Page Pals creates more opportunities for students to read outside of the normal classroom setting at school with volunteers.

Birmingham students need your help. We are encouraging volunteers and organizations to assist at designated 3rd grade library times through read-aloud and conversation. Through Page Pals, volunteers are aimed to help students increase the amount of time they spend reading and help students build their background knowledge in social studies and science.

Please select from the criteria that matches your request most.

For BCS Schools  Individual Volunteer  For Business & Organizations

 Alabama Literacy Act Resources 

With the passage of the Alabama Literacy Act and its implementation on the horizon, it is more important now than ever before to ensure that our students are proficient readers and that they are afforded greater opportunities for reading practice and experiences. Only 54% of 3rd grade students in Birmingham City Schools  are effectively achieving grade level reading as measured by the 2023 State of Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP).

About the Alabama Literacy Act 

• What to know about the new Alabama ACAP reading test results
• Alabama Literacy Act Portfolio updates 2022-2023
• Alabama Literacy Act Frequently Asked Questions
• HB 388: Alabama Literacy Act
• The Alabama Literacy Act Implementation Guide
• Alabama’s Action Plan for Literacy: Birth through Grade 12
• Alabama Campaign for Grade Level Reading
• Alabama Literacy Report 2019-2020

Also, according to the 2022-23 ACAP, the percentage of 3^rd graders in BCS that are achieving grade level reading is 54%, down from last year’s stat of 56%. Click here full the complete data breakdown

Resources for Parents 

• Parents Notes about the Alabama Literacy Act: Family and Community Engagement Resources 
• Parent Advocacy Resource for Parents of Students with Dyslexia: DRG-10-16-2020.pdf (alabamaachieves.org) 
• Alabama Reading Initiative – Family Guide for Student Success: Family Guide for Student Success (bhamcityschools.org) 
• At Home Foundational Reading Activities: At-Home Foundational Reading Activities (alabamaachieves.org) 
• My Child Can – Kindergarten: Final_My Child Can! Kindergarten Booklet (alabamaachieves.org) 
• My Child Can – First Grade: Final_My Child Can! First Grade Booklet (alabamaachieves.org) 
• My Child Can – Second Grade: Final_My Child Can! Second Grade Booklet (alabamaachieves.org) 
• My Child Can – Third Grade: Final_My Child Can! Third Grade Booklet (alabamaachieves.org) 

Resources for Students 

• Learning Games and Apps for Kids: ABCya! • Learning Games and Apps for Kids 
• Kids Games and Books Online: Starfall Education: Kids Games, Movies, & Books K-3 
• Kids Games and Books Online: Games, Videos, and Books for Kids – Funbrain 
• Kids’ Books Read Aloud Videos: Storyline Online – Library 
• Fun Educational Website for Kids Ages 2-6: https://learn.khanacademy.org 
• Alabama Partnership For Children

Important Information 

ACAP Summative Tutorial Information (youtube.com)

• This video contains ACAP Summative Online Tutorial information. Students can access this at home and practice navigating the assessment platform with questions similar to those they will see on the spring ACAP Summative.

The Alabama Literacy Act (updated 8.15.23) (youtube.com)

• This video provides an overview of the Alabama Literacy Act.

Alabama Literacy Act for Families (Spanish) (youtube.com)

This video provides an overview of the Alabama Literacy Act in Spanis