University Charter School Secondary

University Charter School Secondary in Livingston, AL, is a public charter school serving 309 students in grades 6 through 12, and it stands out as a high-performing option in a region where the local traditional public school is struggling. The school has improved its statewide ranking from the 59th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 68th percentile in 2025-2026, earning a solid 3-star rating. It serves a diverse student body, with 47.6% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch in 2024-2025, a notable decrease from over 63% in the prior two years.

The most striking difference is how this charter school compares to its nearby counterpart, Sumter Central High School. In 11th-grade English, University Charter School's proficiency rate is 44.9% compared to Sumter Central's 7.14%, and in 8th-grade Science, the gap is even wider (60.42% vs. 18.03%). The graduation rate at the charter school is 94.5%, which is above the state average of 91.5% and a staggering 22.4 percentage points higher than Sumter Central's 72.1%. Chronic absenteeism is also dramatically lower at 8.8% versus Sumter Central's 28.5%, suggesting higher student engagement. While Sumter Central ranks in the 6th percentile statewide, University Charter School sits in the 68th percentile.

While the school's overall performance is strong, there are some areas of concern. In the 2025-2026 data, the ranking for female students jumped to the 81st percentile, while male students dropped to the 26th percentile—a dramatic shift from the previous year when boys outperformed girls. Similarly, the school's ranking for its African American student population fell from the 71st percentile to the 18th percentile, indicating some inconsistency in serving all subgroups year to year. On a positive note, the school shows a particular strength in 8th-grade Science, consistently exceeding state averages. The student-teacher ratio has increased to 22, reflecting a growing student body, yet performance has continued to improve.