By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Joint Legislative Contract Review Committee on Thursday approved more than $21.7 million in contracts for the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) aimed at improving literacy instruction, supporting struggling readers, and enhancing teacher preparation statewide.
The largest contract — nearly $21 million — was awarded to Lexia Learning Systems, a Texas-based company that specializes in reading instruction. The funds will support training for K-3 teachers, reading specialists, and higher education faculty in the science of reading, a central component of Alabama’s 2019 Literacy Act.
Tina Hammonds, ALSDE’s Director of Governmental Affairs, said the contract will help create a consistent, long-term approach to teacher training.
“We started with teaching the teachers in college to be able to teach the students that are going to be teachers,” Hammonds said. “Then we have to go into the field to teach the teachers that are already in the field.”
The contract is 100% state-funded. Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) said he hopes the investment reduces the need for future state spending. “I hope that we don’t have to spend additional taxpayer dollars to train teachers in state colleges and universities to do what they are there to do,” Elliott said.
Hammonds added that implementing both the Literacy Act and Numeracy Act will take time, noting that the goal is to align teacher preparation programs across two- and four-year colleges with Alabama’s instructional standards.
The committee also approved a $760,000 federal contract with the American Institutes for Research, based in Virginia, to support reading intervention programs for grades 4–8. Hammonds said the initiative will target students who fell behind due to COVID-19 disruptions. “We’re going to try to put as much intensive state and federal funding toward those kids over the next few years,” she said.
A third contract, worth $31,000, was approved for Frank Buck Consulting of Pell City to assist ALSDE with reporting requirements for the Office of Special Education Programs.
Together, the contracts represent a major step toward strengthening Alabama’s teacher workforce and ensuring all students — from early readers to middle schoolers — receive the literacy support they need to succeed.