Summary:
University Charter School Elementary is the sole elementary school in the University Charter School district, serving grades PK through 5 in Livingston, AL, with an enrollment of 407 students.
This school stands out for its strong science performance and excellent attendance. In 2024-2025, 4th-grade science proficiency hit 57.14%, well above the state average of 42.61%. The school also maintains a low chronic absenteeism rate of 7.2%, compared to the state's 12.0%, indicating students are consistently showing up ready to learn. However, the school faces notable challenges. The student-teacher ratio is very high at 31.3:1, meaning large class sizes that could limit individualized attention. Academically, the most striking pattern is a "4th-grade slump" in English: while 3rd and 5th graders outperform the state (73.68% and 74% proficiency respectively), 4th graders lag significantly at 46.15%, over 13 points below the state average. Math proficiency also declines by grade, from 45.61% in 3rd grade to 35.29% in 5th grade, with volatile year-over-year results. The school's statewide rank fluctuated from 262nd (61st percentile) in 2024-2025 to 332nd (52nd percentile) in 2025-2026.
Despite serving a student body where 40.79% qualify for free or reduced lunch, the school performs competitively overall. Its low absenteeism and strong 5th-grade English results suggest a positive school culture and effective classroom management, even with large classes. The key takeaway for parents is that this is a mid-tier school with clear strengths in science and attendance, but it needs targeted intervention in 4th-grade English and upper-grade math to improve its ranking. The inconsistent math scores and the 4th-grade dip are areas to watch, as they may indicate transition challenges or specific cohort needs that could benefit from additional support.
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