Elementary Schools in University Academy

The University Academy district in Missouri has only one elementary school, University Academy-Lower, which serves students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. Based on the available data, University Academy-Lower appears to be a consistently low-performing school, ranking in the bottom 25% of Missouri elementary schools for the past three years and earning a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The school's academic performance on standardized tests, such as the MAP assessments, is significantly below the state averages across multiple grade levels and subject areas. In the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in MAP Mathematics ranged from 26.4% (3rd grade) to 30.5% (5th grade), compared to state averages of 40.8% (3rd grade) and 38.4% (5th grade). Similarly, the school's performance in MAP English Language Arts was also well below the state averages. This pattern of underperformance has persisted over the past few years, indicating that University Academy-Lower is facing significant challenges in providing a high-quality education to its students.

One potential contributing factor to the school's struggles is the high poverty level among its student population, with 99.51% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Despite the school's relatively high per-student spending of $13,670 for the 2021-2022 school year, which is higher than the state average, the academic outcomes have not improved. This suggests a potential disconnect between the resources available and the effective allocation and utilization of those resources to support student learning and achievement. The University Academy district as a whole is also ranked 261 out of 386 districts in Missouri and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger, further highlighting the need for comprehensive interventions and support to address the challenges faced by the district's schools.