Citing statistics from the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) Perry County Commission Chairman Albert Turner Jr. reported that third grade students are leading in reading scores compared to others in the Black Belt. 

Schools are now in compliance with the Alabama Literacy Act passed in 2019, which require third grade students who are not reading on their level to repeat their grade. 

According to findings from ALSDE 78% of third grade students are fulfilling this requirement, with 22% not doing so. 

At 69% Perry County is below the state standard but is still leading in the Black Belt area. A post on Turner's Facebook page said that Superintendent Dr. Marcia Smiley blamed the rate on COVID affecting in-person learning. 

Turner added that in spite of Perry County schools being among the poorest in the state there is still a high graduation rate at 95%. 

"I do not doubt that the Perry County School District will turn heads after a full year of in-person learning and remain tops among Black-Belt schools and other State school districts," he said. 

See below for a list of Black Belt county school third grade reading scores: 

1. Perry County. . 69.64%

2. Greene County 62.96%

3. Dallas County .62.94%

4. Hale County. . 59.43%

5. Macon County 52.73%

6. Lowndes Co. . 49.38%

7. Sumter County 45.83%

8. Wilcox County 42.34%

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