University Academy

The University Academy district in Kansas City, Missouri operates three schools: an elementary school (University Academy-Lower), a middle school (University Academy-Middle), and a high school (University Academy-Upper). While the elementary and middle schools have relatively low statewide rankings and test scores, the high school stands out as a strong performer, ranking as high as 18th out of 468 Missouri high schools in the past.

The University Academy-Upper high school has a four-year graduation rate of 97.5% for the 2023-2024 school year and has earned a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. In contrast, the elementary and middle schools within the district struggle, with statewide rankings in the bottom third of their respective school types. All three schools have extremely high rates of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, indicating a student population from low-income backgrounds.

Across the district, the schools face concerning trends, such as high chronic absenteeism rates of 18.9% and significant disparities in test scores compared to state averages. The high school spends significantly more per student than the elementary and middle schools, which may contribute to its stronger performance. The University Academy district should closely examine these factors and implement targeted strategies to improve outcomes, particularly at the younger grade levels, in order to address potential opportunity gaps and ensure all students have access to a high-quality education.