Reading Proficiency

The Reading Proficiency indicator measures the proportion of students at either the third or fourth grade with the ability to read at, or above, their grade level. By 3 years of age, there is a 30 million-word gap between children from the wealthiest and poorest families. Additionally, 34% of children entering kindergarten lack the basic language skills needed to learn how to read. That is why children with high reading levels by fourth grade are more likely to graduate from high school and have better health as they get older. High reading proficiency has been linked to a reduction in alcohol abuse, violence, diabetes, retinopathy, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, hospitalization, HIV, cancer, and asthma. Although featured in the Educational Opportunities domain, the Reading Proficiency indicator is also tied to the Employment Opportunities, Economic Health, Social Cohesion, Health Systems and Public Safety, and Neighborhood Characteristics domains. The Preschool Enrollment indicator is calculated from the Alabama State Department of Education.

Neighborhoodsort descending Indicator Value Rank
Acipco-Finley 14.4% 38
Airport Highlands 8.1% 82
Apple Valley 14.8% 29
Arlington - West End 8.3% 80
Belview Heights 4.5% 99
Bridlewood 14.8% 29
Brown Springs 10.0% 68
Brownsville Heights 17.6% 20
Brummitt Heights 14.8% 29
Bush Hills 18.8% 12
Central City 14.6% 37
Central Park 12.5% 49
Central Pratt 10.5% 57
College Hills 13.4% 41
Collegeville 13.7% 40
Crestline 10.3% 62
Crestwood North 8.4% 76
Crestwood South 10.3% 62
Dolomite 17.8% 18
Druid Hills 22.9% 4
East Avondale 8.9% 73
East Birmingham 15.9% 27
East Brownville 6.0% 89
East Lake 9.8% 71
East Thomas 13.4% 41
Eastwood 8.4% 76
Echo Highlands 14.8% 29
Enon Ridge 13.4% 41
Ensley 16.5% 25
Ensley Highlands 18.1% 15
Evergreen 18.1% 15
Fairmont 10.8% 54
Fairview 23.2% 3
Five Points South 22.1% 7
Forest Park 10.3% 62
Fountain Heights 18.1% 15
Garden Highlands 6.0% 89
Gate City 6.5% 88
Germania Park 6.8% 86
Glen Iris 33.8% 1
Grasselli Heights 6.0% 89
Graymont 12.2% 51
Green Acres 12.5% 49
Harriman Park 10.8% 54
Highland Park 10.3% 62
Hillman 6.0% 89
Hillman Park 6.0% 89
Hooper City 14.7% 36
Huffman 11.8% 52
Industrial Center 6.0% 89
Inglenook 22.2% 6
Jones Valley 8.4% 76
Killough Springs 18.8% 12
Kingston 14.3% 39
Liberty Highlands 13.1% 44
Maple Grove 14.8% 29
Mason City 8.3% 80
North Avondale 8.9% 73
North Birmingham 16.8% 24
North East Lake 10.6% 56
North Pratt 10.5% 57
North Titusville 12.7% 48
Norwood 10.0% 68
Oak Ridge 17.5% 22
Oak Ridge Park 8.4% 76
Oakwood Place 6.8% 86
Overton 10.3% 62
Oxmoor 7.0% 84
Penfield Park 22.4% 5
Pine Knoll Vista 14.8% 29
Powderly 7.0% 84
Redmont Park 10.3% 62
Riley 9.2% 72
Rising - West Princeton 14.9% 28
Roebuck 20.3% 9
Roebuck Springs 20.0% 10
Roosevelt 6.0% 89
Sandusky 10.5% 57
Sherman Heights 17.8% 18
Smithfield 13.1% 44
Smithfield Estates 10.5% 57
South East Lake 16.2% 26
South Pratt 10.5% 57
South Titusville 33.8% 1
South Woodlawn 10.0% 68
Southside 8.9% 73
Spring Lake 11.8% 52
Sun Valley 14.8% 29
Tarpley City 6.0% 89
Thomas 18.5% 14
Tuxedo 17.5% 22
Wahouma 13.1% 44
West Brownville 6.0% 89
West End Manor 7.6% 83
West Goldwire 6.0% 89
Woodland Park 21.1% 8
Woodlawn 13.1% 44
Wylam 17.6% 20
Zion City 19.0% 11

Key Citations:
1. Barrington, Byron L. and Bryan Hendricks. “Differentiating Characteristics of High School Graduates, Dropouts, and Nongraduates” The Journal of Educational Research , Vol. 82, No. 6 (Jul. - Aug., 1989), pp. 309-319.
2. Berkman, Nancy D., et al. "Literacy and health outcomes: summary." (2004).
3. DeWalt, Darren A., et al. "Literacy and health outcomes." Journal of General Internal Medicine 19.12 (2004): 1228-1239.
4. Hernandez, Donald J. 2011. Double Jeopardy: How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation. Baltimore, MD: Annie E. Casey Foundation. April.
5. Lloyd, Dee Norman. "Prediction of school failure from third-grade data." Educational and Psychological Measurement 38.4 (1978): 1193-1200.
6. Paasche-Orlow, Michael K., and Michael S. Wolf. "The causal pathways linking health literacy to health outcomes." American Journal of Health Behavior 31.Supplement 1 (2007): S19-S26.
7. Schillinger, Dean, et al. "Does literacy mediate the relationship between education and health outcomes? A study of a low-income population with diabetes." Public health reports 121.3 (2006): 245.