Karlapalem Responds to New ACAP School Data: "Poverty Is the Challenge. The Republican Supermajority Made It Worse."

From the Karlapalem campaign

"Poverty is the challenge our schools are working to overcome. The supermajority's answer was to take more money away from them," Karlapalem said.

MADISON, Alabama - Hanu Karlapalem, Democratic nominee for Alabama State House District 4, today responded to new 2025-26 Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP) proficiency data published alongside district poverty rates for school systems across House District 4.

"The numbers confirm what our own superintendents are telling us. Decatur City Schools Superintendent Michael Douglas said it plainly: the best predictor of proficiency scores is the free-and-reduced-lunch population. Decatur has the highest poverty rate of the three local systems, and the lowest scores. Hartselle has the lowest poverty rate, and the highest scores. That is not an excuse. That is the honest picture our educators are working with every single day — on top of an English Language Learner population that now makes up 20% of Decatur's students," Karlapalem said.

The same pattern holds across the rest of the district. Madison City Schools, with a 25.1% poverty rate, posted 77.8% proficiency in ELA, 59.0% in math, and 68.3% in science. Madison County Schools, with a 42.5% poverty rate, posted 64.5% ELA, 39.3% math, and 52.6% science. Limestone County Schools, with the highest poverty rate of the three at 59.4%, posted the lowest scores: 47.8% ELA, 21.7% math, and 33.8% science. Every system in House District 4 tells the same story: the higher the poverty rate, the lower the proficiency rate.

"These school poverty rates track with what I documented in August in 'The Math Doesn't Work: What It Really Costs to Live in House District 4' — one in three households in our district, 6,719 out of 19,978, can't afford the basic cost of living here according to United For ALICE. School poverty rates run even higher because they measure families raising children specifically, and those are the families getting squeezed hardest. This isn't two separate problems. It's one affordability crisis showing up in the family budget and the classroom at the same time," Karlapalem said.

"And this week's report also shows what's possible when we invest in these students. Danville-Neel Elementary, Eva School, and Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary all posted proficiency rates above the state average despite poverty rates over 49%. That happens through targeted support, high expectations, and early intervention — the same principle behind the RAISE Act, which Alabama passed with bipartisan support to direct additional funding to students in poverty, English learners, and students with disabilities. State Superintendent Eric Mackey has credited that targeted investment with this year's gains. That is proof the state knows what works," Karlapalem said.

"Instead of building on that, the Republican Supermajority passed the CHOOSE Act — draining $250 million a year out of public schools like ours to fund private school vouchers, with no income cap starting in 2027. My opponent, Rep. Parker Moore, voted for it. At a 'State of the Schools' event, the superintendents of Madison City, Huntsville City, and Madison County schools put a number on what our region loses: $100 million a year," Karlapalem said.

"Poverty is the challenge our schools are working to overcome. The supermajority's answer was to take more money away from them. I wrote about this pattern in April in 'The Supermajority Has Declared War on Our Public Schools.' This week's data confirms it in black and white. I'll fight for the investment our teachers and students have earned — because every child in House District 4 deserves a fully funded public school, regardless of their zip code," Karlapalem said.

We will defeat the Republican supermajority swamp on November 3 and build an Alabama We Can Afford – lower costs, stronger public schools, real healthcare. Hanu will continue to fight for every Alabamian, by birth or by choice. Economy First. People First. Constitution First. Hanu urges all eligible voters in Alabama State House District 4, Morgan, Limestone, and Madison counties, to register, organize, and turn out for the November 3, 2026 general election.

Hanu Karlapalem is a Madison, Alabama resident of 26 years, small technology business owner, UAH M.S. graduate, and Life Member and former Second Vice President of the Limestone County NAACP. He has been married for 31 years and has deep roots in the North Alabama community through civic, professional, and community service. He is the Democratic nominee for Alabama State House District 4 in the November 3, 2026, general election.

For more information: https://www.hanu4alabama.com