Livingston Junior High School

Livingston Junior High School in Livingston, AL, is a small school serving 216 students from Pre-K through 4th grade in the Sumter County district, where the vast majority of families (83%) qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The most encouraging news for parents is the school's dramatic progress on attendance. Chronic absenteeism has been cut nearly in half over two years—from 47.3% in 2022-2023 down to 24.8% in 2024-2025—showing that targeted efforts are making a real difference. While that rate is still double the state average, the trend is moving in the right direction. Academically, English Language Arts is a relative bright spot, with 42.5% of 3rd graders and 36.4% of 4th graders meeting proficiency standards—roughly double the school's math scores. The school also outperforms its same-district counterpart, York West End Junior High School, in 4th grade science and has better attendance rates.

One of the most striking comparisons is with University Charter School Elementary, located just 1.7 miles away. That school serves a more affluent population (41% low-income vs. 83%) and posts proficiency rates 20-30 points higher, with a chronic absenteeism rate of just 7.2%. This gap highlights how much socioeconomic factors shape outcomes. Still, Livingston has climbed from the 1st percentile statewide in 2021-2022 to the 12th percentile in 2025-2026, and its per-student spending ($10,996) is actually more efficient than York West End's ($13,506) while achieving comparable results. For parents, the picture is one of a school facing real challenges but showing genuine, measurable improvement—especially in getting kids to class and building literacy skills.