According to the Alabama State Department of Education’s (ALSDE) Alabama State Report Card, released on Friday, Dallas County Schools (DCS) has continued to improve.

Though still in “C” territory, DCS’s grade has risen six points within the last three years.

DCS received a 70 for the 2016-2017 school year, a 73 for the 2017-2018 school year and a 76 for the 2018-2019 school year.

Seven out of 11 of the schools within DCS’s system have seen a consistent improvement over the last three years.

J.E. Terry Elementary School went from a 73 to an 82 to an 87, which is a 14-point increase.

Keith Middle – High School went from a 67 to a 68 to a 69, which is a two-point increase.

Salem Elementary School went from a 55 to a 59 to a 77, which is a 22-point increase.

Valley Grande Elementary School went from a 74 to a 76 to an 84, which is a 10-point increase.

William R. Martin Middle School went from a 70 to a 77 to an 80, which is a 10-point increase.

Southside Primary School went from a 67 to a 72, a five-point increase.

Bruce K. Craig Elementary School went from a 63 to a 71 to a 75, a 12-point increase.

The other four schools within the DCS’s system have fluctuated over the past three years.

Brantley Elementary went from a 59 to a 69 to a 63, up four points from the 2016-2017 school year but down six points from last year (2017-2018).

Dallas County High School went from a 66 to a 65 to a 71, which is a five-point increase.

Southside High School had the most dramatic fluctuation, the school went from a 65 to a 56 to a 65, an 11-point decrease followed by an 11-point increase.

Tipton – Durant Middle School, the system’s only failing school, went from a 59 to a 61 to a 57.

DCS Superintendent Hattie Shelton, in her fourth year as superintendent, attributes the system’s six-point increase over the last three years to a focus on application of classroom knowledge to real-world situations within the curriculum and training among administrators.

“We’re working hard to move forward,” said Shelton.

Shelton attributes problems within the system to a lack of teachers.

“Issues we face include a teacher shortage,” said Shelton. “It’s difficult for us to find math and science teachers as well as special education and elementary school teachers.”

Shelton noted that this has always been an issue within the system, but said that DCS has begun attempting to recruit future teachers as they finish college, so they can begin their careers within DCS when they graduate.

Shelton said that DCS is looking to this year’s scores to guide future improvements.

Shelton said the that everyone in the system is working hard to support their teachers and students and provide them with the resources they need to be successful.

“We’re looking for ways to improve across the board,” she said.

Shelton noted that DCS is seeking input from parents at PTA meetings and students from a recently implemented Student Advisory Board.

Shelton said that the current focus of the board was finding ways to increase attendance by making the schools engaging for students.

“Everyone is working hard to show we’re better than our grades show,” she said.