Summary:
Freedom Prep Academy is the only elementary school in the Freedom Prep Academy district, serving just 41 students in grades K-1 in Birmingham, AL, and operating as its own district.
This is an exceptionally small, early-elementary school, and its most striking feature is a paradox: it reports a 0.0% chronic absenteeism rate—far better than the state average of 12%—yet its academic proficiency is dramatically below state averages. For example, only 9.09% of 3rd graders and 12.5% of 4th graders are proficient in math, compared to state averages of 44.89% and 42.07%, respectively. English scores are higher but still low: 22.73% (3rd grade) and 37.5% (4th grade) proficient, versus state averages of 64.75% and 59.53%. Science proficiency for 4th grade is 18.75%, against a state average of 50.23%. The school ranks 665th out of 686 Alabama schools (3rd percentile), and 68.29% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating a high-poverty population.
Notably, the test data reflects 3rd and 4th grade performance, but the school currently only serves K-1, suggesting a recent restructuring—so these scores may not reflect the current program. The school shows a relative strength in English over math, with the math deficit being much larger (roughly 30 points below state) than the English deficit (about 22 points). The grade-level gap (4th graders outperforming 3rd graders by 15 points in English) hints at possible progress, though it could be a cohort effect. Given the perfect attendance and high poverty, the school appears to provide a stable, trusted environment, but faces significant academic challenges that likely stem from socioeconomic factors rather than absenteeism.
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