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Martin L King Junior Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

532^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 686 Alabama Elementary Schools

Better than 22% of Alabama elementary schools

Summary

Martin L King Junior Elementary School is a PK-5 public school in Tuscaloosa, AL, serving 467 students as part of the Tuscaloosa City school district, where about 79% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

While the school's overall state ranking places it in the bottom quarter of Alabama elementary schools, the data reveals a more nuanced picture. The most striking strength is the school's exceptional work with Special Education students, who ranked in the 72nd percentile statewide in 2025-2026—a 4-star rating that far exceeds the school's overall performance. This suggests that families with children who have IEPs may find this school particularly supportive. The school also shows relative strength with its African American students, ranking in the 52nd percentile for this subgroup. Another standout achievement is the dramatic reduction in chronic absenteeism, which plummeted from 25.9% in 2021-2022 to just 3.1% in 2024-2025—now better than both the district (11.1%) and state (12.0%) averages. This turnaround indicates successful efforts to create a stable, welcoming environment where students show up ready to learn.

Academically, English Language Arts is a relative strength compared to math and science, though all subjects remain below state averages. When compared to nearby schools, Martin L King is not an outlier in terms of low performance—schools like Skyland Elementary School, Central Elementary School, and Oakdale Elementary School face similar challenges. However, Martin L King's performance with Special Education students is a clear differentiator, making it potentially a better option for students with IEPs than its closest neighbor, Central Elementary. The contrast with Tuscaloosa Magnet School Elementary—which ranks in the 94th percentile with far fewer low-income students—highlights the profound impact of socioeconomic factors. Overall, Martin L King shows a positive trajectory, with its state ranking improving from the 13th to the 22nd percentile in recent years, suggesting a school that is steadily building momentum despite significant challenges.

467

Students ?

16.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,095

Per pupil spending ?

79.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2430 Martin L King Jr Blvd
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

(205) 759-3619

District: Tuscaloosa City

Students who attend Martin L King Junior Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Westlawn Middle School
High:	Central High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

88.4%

Hispanic:

10.5%

Two or more races:

0.6%

See top rated Alabama elementary schools

Compare Martin L King Junior Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 7th percentile in 2016 → 22nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 15 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Alabama average (35% vs 53% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (22nd percentile)

!Science scores 37 pts below the Alabama average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school35%

District avg52%

Alabama avg53%

532^nd of 686

Alabama public elementary schools ?

Bottom 22%▲ up 15 pts since 2016

From bottom 7% (2016) to bottom 22% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Alabama Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

12^th of 12Elementary Schools in the Tuscaloosa City

75^th of 139Tuscaloosa City among Alabama districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	23.1	532 of 686	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.8	544 of 680	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.5	511 of 684	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.9	589 of 680	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	15.1	585 of 687	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.8	598 of 692	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	17.0	579 of 681	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	11.9	616 of 680	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	17.0	584 of 688	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	10.0	642 of 691	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	18.0	588 of 691	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	13.9	634 of 695	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	28.3	604 of 696	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	31.7	564 of 696	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	14.7	669 of 709	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	4.0	699 of 704	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	9.2	683 of 696	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	9.2	682 of 698	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	1.7	693 of 698	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	5.0	686 of 689	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	12.6	658 of 688	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	23.7	512 of 623	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	46.2	204 of 429	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	42.8	225 of 427	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	53.5	164 of 420	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	32.6	295 of 427	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.9	283 of 426	33.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	31.3	302 of 426	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	37.2	275 of 426	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	28.6	338 of 423	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	38.0	206 of 336	38.7%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	23.2	510 of 652	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	21.5	522 of 649	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.0	496 of 650	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	18.0	541 of 645	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	17.6	548 of 656	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	17.4	560 of 656	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.1	573 of 646	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	10.2	598 of 640	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	18.9	540 of 639	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	29.3	495 of 668	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	25.2	520 of 660	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	32.4	477 of 670	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	18.2	538 of 623	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.0	531 of 651	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.5	515 of 653	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.1	561 of 649	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	18.4	567 of 651	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	21.6	466 of 567	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	26.5	485 of 660	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	20.9	519 of 651	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.4	483 of 655	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	10.9	596 of 649	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	13.5	594 of 669	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	13.9	587 of 669	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.7	533 of 650	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	17.9	547 of 650	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	16.7	553 of 639	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Alabama percentile	Rating
2026	63.4	114 of 403	71.7%	★★★★☆
2023	27.7	293 of 373	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	39.6	198 of 345	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	35.2	268 of 398	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	64.5	96 of 392	75.5%	★★★★☆
2018	16.0	324 of 344	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2026)72nd percentile+49 vs school

African American (2026)52nd percentile+30 vs school

Male (2026)27th percentile+4 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)26th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)22nd percentile~ school

By subject vs Alabama (2025-2026) ?

English49%-15 vs state

Mathematics28%-14 vs state

Science14%-37 vs state

★

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Schools Near Martin L King Junior Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				Summative Assessment Mathematics (2026)			Summative Assessment Science (2026)	Summative Assessment English (2026)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Summative Assessment Mathematics 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 4th Grade	Summative Assessment Mathematics 5th Grade	Summative Assessment Science 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 3rd Grade	Summative Assessment English 4th Grade	Summative Assessment English 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Martin L King Junior Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2430 Martin L King Jr Blvd	Tuscaloosa	35401	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 759-3619	467	28	16.6	79.2%	1 (0.2%)	413 (88.4%)	49 (10.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	23.1	532^nd of 686 public elementary schools	22.4%		19.8	544^th of 680 public elementary schools	20.0%	12	25.7	27.1	29.8	13.6	44.3	49.2	54.4	$12,095	$2,487	$9,589
Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1510 Dinah Washington Ave	Tuscaloosa	35401	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 759-3570	291	20	14.4	78.7%	1 (0.3%)	234 (80.4%)	50 (17.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.7%)	31.4	483^rd of 686 public elementary schools	29.6%		26.5	501^st of 680 public elementary schools	26.3%	18	37.0	35.7	38.9	14.3	53.7	43.9	55.6	$11,176	$2,407	$8,750
Oakdale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5001 25th Street	Tuscaloosa	35401	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 759-3626	292	22	13.4	80.5%	3 (1.0%)	264 (90.4%)	16 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.4%)	28.2	498^th of 686 public elementary schools	27.4%		18.1	559^th of 680 public elementary schools	17.8%	61	42.5	21.1	20.9	10.5	72.5	42.1	48.8	$12,270	$2,250	$10,000
Matthews Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1225 Rice Mine Road	Northport	35476	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2654	401	26	15.2	86.8%	25 (6.2%)	231 (57.6%)	139 (34.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	12.7	615^th of 686 public elementary schools	10.3%		13.5	604^th of 680 public elementary schools	11.2%	11	14.7	24.0		21.3	32.4	40.0		$9,484	$2,129	$7,332
University Place Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2000 First Avenue	Tuscaloosa	35401	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 759-3664	570	38	15.0	69.3%	24 (4.2%)	448 (78.6%)	63 (11.1%)	22 (3.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.1%)	42.1	413^th of 686 public elementary schools	39.8%		42.6	405^th of 680 public elementary schools	40.4%	8	49.2	35.4	38.8	25.3	61.5	54.4	59.7	$11,854	$1,683	$10,153
Crestmont Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	2400 34th Ave	Northport	35476	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2695	268	20	13.4	74.6%	32 (11.9%)	141 (52.6%)	85 (31.7%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.2%)	12.6	619^th of 686 public elementary schools	9.8%		19.1	550^th of 680 public elementary schools	19.1%	69	18.5	22.4		22.4	38.5	34.5		$10,253	$2,088	$8,140
Skyland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	408 Skyland Boulevard East	Tuscaloosa	35405	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 759-3638	459	28	16.5	76.5%	7 (1.5%)	364 (79.3%)	73 (15.9%)	3 (0.7%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.0%)	29.3	492^nd of 686 public elementary schools	28.3%		22	529^th of 680 public elementary schools	22.2%	37	28.0	29.8	33.3	28.1	55.4	36.8	63.6	$11,558	$2,241	$9,145
Tuscaloosa Magnet School Elementary	Public, Magnet	1-5	315 Mcfarland Blvd E	Tuscaloosa	35404	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa City	No	Yes	No	No	(205) 759-3655	324	22	15.0	27.8%	132 (40.7%)	145 (44.8%)	18 (5.6%)	20 (6.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.5%)	91.6	41^st of 686 public elementary schools	94.0%		94.1	20^th of 680 public elementary schools	97.1%	21	55.7	78.3	78.7	71.7	93.4	90.0	98.4	$11,429	$974	$10,435
FaucettVestavia Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1150 Vestavia Circle	Northport	35473	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	No	(205) 342-2646	343	23	14.9	46.9%	194 (56.6%)	100 (29.2%)	18 (5.2%)	17 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.1%)	84.3	94^th of 686 public elementary schools	86.3%		71.8	179^th of 680 public elementary schools	73.7%	85	61.4	58.0		68.0	81.5	86.0		$8,445	$948	$7,473
Flatwoods Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	3800 66th Ave	Northport	35473	Tuscaloosa County	Tuscaloosa County	No	No	No	Yes	(205) 342-2648	459	32	14.3	68.6%	90 (19.6%)	198 (43.1%)	153 (33.3%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.4%)	25.3	519^th of 686 public elementary schools	24.3%		28.6	485^th of 680 public elementary schools	28.7%	34	32.8	23.2		30.0	60.9	34.3		$9,480	$1,998	$7,458

Frequently Asked Questions about Martin L King Junior Elementary School

Is Martin L King Junior Elementary School a good school?

Martin L King Junior Elementary School ranks in the bottom 22.4% of Alabama elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Martin L King Junior Elementary School?

Students at Martin L King Junior Elementary School are 88% African American, 10% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Martin L King Junior Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Martin L King Junior Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Westlawn Middle School
High : Central High School

How many students attend Martin L King Junior Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 467 students attended Martin L King Junior Elementary School.

What district is Martin L King Junior Elementary School in?

Tuscaloosa City

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Latest Alabama data All new data »

2025–26 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2026

2024–25 attendance data & graduation ratesDec 27, 2025

2024–25 Summative Assessment scoresAug 14, 2025

2021–22 through 2023–24 attendance data & graduation ratesDec 2, 2024

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alabama State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.