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Very Good

#459 of 1,356 schools in AL

Top 34% in state

University Place Elementary School

Elementary School · Tuscaloosa City · Tuscaloosa, AL

A Tuscaloosa City elementary school where students score 7 points above what's typical for similar communities.

2000 First Avenue, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

  • Math 18% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 86% vs AL 87% (2024)
  • 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.3Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-3.27 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics7.1Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency18% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency86.3% (2024 ACAP)
Reading vs. State Avg+3.5 pts
Overall Proficiency52% (2024 ACAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)45% (model expectation from 2024 ACAP)
vs. Expected+6.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile57th
Resources & Environment8.5Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.5:1
District spending per student$14,227
Chronic Absenteeism20.6%

Students at University Place Elementary School score 52% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 45%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 ACAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. AL average.

Math Proficiency18%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency86%(2024 ACAP)
School
State
87%(2024 ACAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 62 points since 2020, reaching 86% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
77%
2011
Math
92%
ELA
82%
2012
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2013
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2014
Math
27%
ELA
22%
2015
Math
32%
ELA
32%
2016
Math
27%
ELA
27%
2017
Math
47%
ELA
37%
2018
Math
35%
ELA
33%
2019
Math
35%
ELA
33%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
32%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
32%
2022
Math
18%
ELA
33%
2024
ELA
86%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 43% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 50% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 30 test records from AL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

66.2%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where University Place Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 65Somewhat Walkable
  • Bike 54Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,289/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Tuscaloosa), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$30,031

Median home value

$141,100

Median rent

$911/mo

College educated

26.6%

Homeownership

31.4%

Poverty rate

38.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 35401; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Holy Spirit Catholic SchoolPrivate · tuition8.5privatePK–121.5 mi392Compare →
Skyland Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.9PK–51.7 mi456Compare →
Tuscaloosa Magnet School ElementaryEnrollment path unverified9.5K–51.7 mi303Compare →
American Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition6.2privatePK–121.8 mi894Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Tuscaloosa City

Schools in district
21
Rank in district
#6 of 19
District spending per student
$14,227NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
22.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

University Place Elementary School is listed in Tuscaloosa City; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About University Place Elementary School

University Place Elementary School is a public elementary school in Tuscaloosa, AL, part of Tuscaloosa City, serving approximately 612 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.5 out of 10 and ranks #459 of 1,356 schools in AL. State assessment records show 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about University Place Elementary School

What grades does University Place Elementary School serve?

University Place Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend University Place Elementary School?

University Place Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 612 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at University Place Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at University Place Elementary School is 16.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does University Place Elementary School rank in AL?

University Place Elementary School ranks #459 of 1,356 schools in AL.

What is University Place Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

University Place Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at University Place Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, University Place Elementary School has 43% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is University Place Elementary School a charter school?

No, University Place Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is University Place Elementary School a Title I school?

No, University Place Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for University Place Elementary School?

66.2% of students at University Place Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
612
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
37
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Tuscaloosa County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
20.6%
Area population (ZIP 35401)
40,507
Area average commute
16 min
Area median age
22.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 ACAP · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 35401; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022, multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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