Is Union Central Elementary School a good school?

Union Central Elementary School ranks 399 th of 675 Louisiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Union Central Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 224 students attended Union Central Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Union Central Elementary School?

Students at Union Central Elementary School are 79% White, 17% African American, 2% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

Union Central Elementary School

Summary:

Union Central Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Columbia, Louisiana, serving grades 4-5 with a total enrollment of 160 students. The school is part of the Caldwell Parish School District, which is ranked 73 out of 122 districts in Louisiana and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Union Central Elementary School faces several challenges, including lower academic performance compared to nearby schools. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Louisiana elementary schools, with a ranking between 399-636 out of 675-792 schools over the past 10 years. Its test scores in Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Social Studies are generally lower than the Caldwell Parish and Louisiana state averages. For example, in 2022-2023, the school's proficiency rates in Mathematics (49%) and Social Studies (20%) were significantly below the state averages (59% and 49%, respectively). Additionally, the school's performance on test scores for specific student subgroups, such as African American students and students with disabilities, is also lower compared to the state averages for those subgroups.

Interestingly, the nearby Grayson Elementary School and Columbia Elementary School both perform better than Union Central Elementary School on various metrics, including test scores, school rankings, and student demographics. For example, Columbia Elementary School has consistently ranked in the top half of Louisiana elementary schools and has higher proficiency rates in Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Social Studies compared to Union Central. The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Union Central Elementary School, ranging from 58.06% to 82.5% over the past three school years, indicates that the school serves a community with significant economic challenges, which may contribute to the school's overall performance.

Detail:

Public 4-5

649 Highway 849
Columbia, LA 71418

(318) 649-2569

District: Caldwell Parish

SchoolDigger Rank:
399^th of 675 Louisiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,464

Student/teacher ratio: 12.3

Number of students: 224

Racial breakdown:

White:

79.5%

African American:

16.5%

Two or more races:

2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 70.1%

See top rated Louisiana elementary schools

Compare Union Central Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Union Central Elementary School ranks worse than 59.1% of elementary schools in Louisiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.9. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (79.5%), African American (16.5%), two or more races (2.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 70.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Union Central Elementary School is 12.3, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Caldwell Parish School District! (See more...)

Compare Union Central Elementary School employs 18.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Union Central Elementary School is $16,464, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Caldwell Parish School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Union Central Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Union Central Elementary School 399^th of 675 Louisiana public elementary schools. (See Union Central Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

White students:

Caldwell Parish:

SchoolDigger ranks Caldwell Parish 73^rd of 122 Louisiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Union Central Elementary School?

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Rank History for Union Central Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Union Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	LA State Percentile
2007	49.60	401^st	725	44.7%
2008	47.02	432^nd	743	41.9%
2009	64.08	298^th	738	59.6%
2010	58.61	356^th	736	51.6%
2011	55.72	387^th	766	49.5%
2012	50.67	413^th	764	45.9%
2013	66.27	267^th	772	65.4%
2014	55.22	382^nd	777	50.8%
2015	43.38	488^th	792	38.4%
2016	46.61	435^th	742	41.4%
2017	24.57	598^th	739	19.1%
2018	14.94	636^th	728	12.6%
2019	23.98	598^th	731	18.2%
2021	27.22	532^nd	729	27.0%
2022	25.81	561^st	727	22.8%
2023	22.91	588^th	730	19.5%
2024	44.90	399^th	675	40.9%

See the entire list of Louisiana Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Union Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	LA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	21.94	278^th	333	16.5%
2024	28.60	158^th	208	24.0%

See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Union Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	LA State Percentile
2018	26.74	567^th	682	16.9%
2019	16.27	636^th	697	8.8%
2021	22.39	572^nd	719	20.4%
2022	27.46	555^th	724	23.3%
2023	26.06	568^th	723	21.4%
2024	40.52	434^th	674	35.6%

See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Union Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	LA State Percentile
2019	16.91	618^th	684	9.6%
2021	31.04	501^st	705	28.9%
2022	38.13	460^th	701	34.4%
2023	25.19	563^rd	705	20.1%
2024	45.75	374^th	635	41.1%

See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Union Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	LA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	30.70	207^th	281	26.3%

See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Union Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	LA State Percentile
2019	37.23	485^th	696	30.3%
2021	32.14	483^rd	704	31.4%
2022	34.02	479^th	712	32.7%
2023	28.88	527^th	713	26.1%
2024	45.17	377^th	651	42.1%

See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Union Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	LA State Percentile
2018	33.84	408^th	547	25.4%
2019	9.30	546^th	559	2.3%
2022	35.35	384^th	562	31.7%
2023	27.91	446^th	570	21.8%
2024	35.58	335^th	509	34.2%

See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Union Central Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	LA State Percentile
2018	24.02	442^nd	516	14.3%
2019	24.17	449^th	517	13.2%
2021	21.94	448^th	522	14.2%
2022	18.69	470^th	517	9.1%
2023	18.28	463^rd	518	10.6%
2024	22.77	386^th	434	11.1%

See the entire list of Best Louisiana Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Louisiana Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Louisiana Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Union Central Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	263	263
1990	157	85	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	244
1991	150	89	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	241
1992	135	98	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	233
1993	158	87	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	245
1994	165	82	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	247
1995	152	92	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	248
1996	152	92	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	248
1997	143	89	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	236
1998	105	82	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	187
1999	131	85	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	216
2000	115	87	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	205
2001	127	78	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	205
2002	144	82	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	227
2003	144	82	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	227
2004	133	80	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	214
2005	130	91	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	222
2006	132	100	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	236
2007	128	85	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	215
2008	137	81	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	221
2009	135	69	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	207
2010	133	71	0	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	216
2011	145	73	0	5	0	0	0	0	223
2012	127	80	0	6	0	0	3	0	216
2013	116	69	0	3	0	0	2	0	190
2014	129	66	0	6	0	0	7	0	208
2015	111	70	0	8	0	0	3	0	192
2016	125	75	0	9	0	0	3	0	212
2017	134	73	0	7	0	0	6	0	220
2018	128	81	0	7	0	0	7	0	223
2019	126	88	0	2	0	0	5	0	221
2020	108	81	0	1	0	0	1	0	191
2021	106	70	0	0	0	0	5	0	181
2022	102	76	0	2	0	0	6	0	186
2023	85	65	0	7	0	0	3	0	160
2024	178	37	0	4	0	0	5	0	224

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Union Central Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	263	14.0	18.7	68.4
1990	244	19.0	12.8	69.3
1991	241	18.0	13.3	70.5
1992	233	17.0	13.7	71.2
1993	245	18.0	13.6	73.1
1994	247	19.0	13.0	69.2
1995	248	15.0	16.5	71
1996	248	15.0	16.5	71
1997	236	15.0	15.7	72
1998	187	16.0	11.7	70.1
1999	216	16.0	13.5	80.6
2000	205	15.0	13.7	80
2001	205	16.0	12.8	78
2002	227	15.0	15.1	76.7
2003	227	15.0	15.1	76.7
2004	214	15.0	14.3	72.9
2005	222	15.5	14.3	65.3
2006	236	15.6	15.1	78.8
2007	215	16.4	13.1	76.7
2008	221	16.7	13.2	72.9
2009	207	17.1	12.1	71
2010	216	17.4	12.3	75
2011	223	19.5	11.4	79.4
2012	216	20.8	10.3	76.9
2013	190	19.0	10.0	72.1
2014	208	17.0	12.2	71.6
2015	192	18.0	10.6	67.2
2016	212	18.0	11.7	73.6
2017	220	15.0	14.6	62.3
2018	223	15.0	14.8	63.2
2019	221	13.0	17.0	30.3
2020	191	14.0	13.6	31.4
2021	181	15.0	12.0	66.9
2022	186	15.6	11.8	58.1
2023	160	15.5	10.3	82.5
2024	224	18.2	12.3	70.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Union Central Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	263	14.0	18.7	68.4
1990	244	19.0	12.8	69.3
1991	241	18.0	13.3	70.5
1992	233	17.0	13.7	71.2
1993	245	18.0	13.6	73.1
1994	247	19.0	13.0	69.2
1995	248	15.0	16.5	71
1996	248	15.0	16.5	71
1997	236	15.0	15.7	72
1998	187	16.0	11.7	70.1
1999	216	16.0	13.5	80.6
2000	205	15.0	13.7	80
2001	205	16.0	12.8	78
2002	227	15.0	15.1	76.7
2003	227	15.0	15.1	76.7
2004	214	15.0	14.3	72.9
2005	222	15.5	14.3	65.3
2006	236	15.6	15.1	78.8
2007	215	16.4	13.1	76.7
2008	221	16.7	13.2	72.9
2009	207	17.1	12.1	71
2010	216	17.4	12.3	75
2011	223	19.5	11.4	79.4
2012	216	20.8	10.3	76.9
2013	190	19.0	10.0	72.1
2014	208	17.0	12.2	71.6
2015	192	18.0	10.6	67.2
2016	212	18.0	11.7	73.6
2017	220	15.0	14.6	62.3
2018	223	15.0	14.8	63.2
2019	221	13.0	17.0	30.3
2020	191	14.0	13.6	31.4
2021	181	15.0	12.0	66.9
2022	186	15.6	11.8	58.1
2023	160	15.5	10.3	82.5
2024	224	18.2	12.3	70.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Union Central Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$10,437
2018	$11,220
2019	$11,422
2020	$13,850
2021	$15,466
2022	$16,464

Data source: Louisiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Union Central Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 598^th of 731 Elementary schools	Ranks 588^th of 730 Elementary schools	1.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Union Central Elementary School)	62	47	15%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Caldwell Parish)	72	57	15%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Louisiana)	69	64	5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Union Central Elementary School)	63	35	28%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Caldwell Parish)	72	59	13%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Louisiana)	70	62	8%
3rd Grade Social Studies (Union Central Elementary School)	35	12	23%
3rd Grade Social Studies (Caldwell Parish)	49	26	23%
3rd Grade Social Studies (Louisiana)	47	44	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Union Central Elementary School)	39	60	21%
4th Grade Mathematics (Caldwell Parish)	61	68	7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Louisiana)	69	65	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Union Central Elementary School)	49	50	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Caldwell Parish)	68	67	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Louisiana)	72	68	4%
4th Grade Social Studies (Union Central Elementary School)	43	15	28%
4th Grade Social Studies (Caldwell Parish)	55	51	4%
4th Grade Social Studies (Louisiana)	51	53	2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Union Central Elementary School)	47	43	4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Louisiana)	63	61	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Union Central Elementary School)	46	69	23%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Louisiana)	71	70	1%
5th Grade Social Studies (Union Central Elementary School)	38	30	8%
5th Grade Social Studies (Caldwell Parish)	58	32	26%
5th Grade Social Studies (Louisiana)	54	48	6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	221	160	27.6%
African American	88	65	26.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	2	7	250%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	126	85	32.5%
Two or More Races	5	3	40%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	30.3%	82.5%	52.2%

Schools Near Union Central Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				LEAP Mathematics (2024)						LEAP English Language Arts (2024)						Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	LEAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	LEAP Mathematics 4th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 5th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 6th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 8th Grade	LEAP Mathematics All Grades	LEAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts All Grades	Total
Union Central Elementary School	Public	4-5	649 Highway 849	Columbia	71418	Caldwell Parish	Caldwell Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(318) 649-2569	224	18	12.3	70.1%	178 (79.5%)	37 (16.5%)	4 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.2%)	44.9	399^th of 675 public elementary schools	40.9%		22.9	588^th of 730 public elementary schools	19.5%	189		56.0	52.0			55.0		60.0	69.0			64.0	$16,464
Columbia Elementary School	Public	2-3	205 Church Street	Columbia	71418	Caldwell Parish	Caldwell Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(318) 649-2654	213	19	10.9	70.0%	173 (81.2%)	33 (15.5%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)								(n/a)	57.0					57.0	48.0					48.0	$14,148
Grayson Elementary School	Public	K-1	5237 Highway 126 East	Grayson	71435	Caldwell Parish	Caldwell Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(318) 649-2703	234	19	12.0	74.4%	184 (78.6%)	33 (14.1%)	8 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.8%)								(n/a)													$14,211
Olla-Standard Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4170 School Drive	Olla	71465	LaSalle Parish	LaSalle Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(318) 495-5163	414	27	15.6	21.3%	384 (92.8%)	6 (1.4%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.1%)	61.6	281^st of 675 public elementary schools	58.4%		71.5	211^th of 730 public elementary schools	71.1%	70		93.0	52.0			72.0	64.0					77.0	$12,464
Fort Necessity School	Public	PK, KG-8	10630 Highway 562	Fort Necessity	71243	Franklin Parish	Franklin Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(318) 723-4793	305	24	12.5	77.0%	171 (56.1%)	122 (40.0%)	6 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.0%)	17.2	585^th of 675 public elementary schools	13.3%		33.3	502^nd of 730 public elementary schools	31.2%	83	25.0	34.0	39.0	29.0	38.0	34.0		57.0	55.0	49.0	61.0	47.0	$11,063

Union Central Elementary School

Union Central Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Caldwell Parish:

What do you think?

Rank History for Union Central Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Union Central Elementary School

Rank History for Special Education students at Union Central Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Union Central Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at Union Central Elementary School

Rank History for Disabled students at Union Central Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Union Central Elementary School

Rank History for African American students at Union Central Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Union Central Elementary School

Enrollment information for Union Central Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Union Central Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Union Central Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Union Central Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Union Central Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Union Central Elementary School