University Academy-Lower

Q: Is University Academy-Lower a good school?

University Academy-Lower ranks 679 th of 906 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

University Academy-Lower is a public charter elementary school serving 617 students in grades PK-5 in Kansas City, Missouri. The school is part of the University Academy district, which is ranked 261 out of 386 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

University Academy-Lower has seen a significant decline in its statewide ranking over the past several years, dropping from a high of 184 out of 865 Missouri elementary schools in 2015-2016 to a ranking of 679 out of 906 in the current 2023-2024 school year. The school is currently rated 1 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger. This decline is largely due to the school's consistently underperforming the state average on MAP assessments in both mathematics and English language arts across grades 3-5. For example, in 2023-2024, only 26.4% of 3rd graders, 27% of 4th graders, and 30.5% of 5th graders were proficient or better in mathematics, compared to the state averages of 40.8%, 44.4%, and 38.4%, respectively. The school's performance in English language arts is also below state averages, with only 32% of 4th graders and 26% of 5th graders scoring proficient or better, compared to the state averages of 46.2% and 43%.

Additionally, University Academy-Lower has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 11.5% in 2021-2022 to 19.7% in 2022-2023 and 18.9% in 2023-2024. This is notably higher than the state average and indicates a potential issue with student engagement and attendance. Despite serving a high percentage of low-socioeconomic status students, with 99.51% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023, the school's ranking for this subgroup has declined from 222 out of 625 Missouri elementary schools in 2023-2024 to 367 out of 532 in 2021-2022. However, the school's strong performance for African American students, ranking 6 out of 191 Missouri elementary schools in 2023-2024, is a bright spot.

Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-5

6801 Holmes Rd
Kansas City, MO 64131-1382

(816) 412-5973

District: University Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
679^th of 906 Missouri Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,670

Student/teacher ratio: 15.1

Number of students: 605

Racial breakdown:

African American:

94.9%

White:

3.0%

Hispanic:

1.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Missouri elementary schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details University Academy-Lower ranks worse than 74.9% of elementary schools in Missouri. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 27.11. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (94.9%), White (3%), Hispanic (1.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at University Academy-Lower is 15.1. (See more...)

Compare University Academy-Lower employs 40 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at University Academy-Lower is $13,670.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

University Academy-Lower:

SchoolDigger ranks University Academy-Lower 679^th of 906 Missouri public elementary schools. (See University Academy-Lower in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

University Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks University Academy 261^st of 386 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for University Academy-Lower

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Rank History for all students at University Academy-Lower

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2009	46.57	630^th	1053	40.2%
2010	43.82	674^th	1066	36.8%
2011	44.21	689^th	1088	36.7%
2012	53.28	553^rd	1085	49.0%
2013	50.43	603^rd	1108	45.6%
2014	35.10	790^th	1089	27.5%
2015	50.29	564^th	1058	46.7%
2016	76.58	184^th	865	78.7%
2017	71.88	272^nd	1032	73.6%
2018	65.63	339^th	1045	67.6%
2019	40.55	647^th	1052	38.5%
2021	13.66	782^nd	901	13.2%
2022	15.79	775^th	908	14.6%
2023	26.49	694^th	898	22.7%
2024	27.11	679^th	906	25.1%

See the entire list of Missouri Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at University Academy-Lower

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	80.08	89^th	887	90.0%
2019	61.03	284^th	907	68.7%
2021	31.22	416^th	574	27.5%
2022	34.00	367^th	532	31.0%
2023	56.34	216^th	611	64.6%
2024	56.46	222^nd	625	64.5%

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

Rank History for African American students at University Academy-Lower

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MO State Percentile
2018	93.61	6^th	243	97.5%
2019	82.30	23^rd	250	90.8%
2021	65.92	32^nd	163	80.4%
2022	67.10	33^rd	184	82.1%
2023	87.85	4^th	185	97.8%
2024	89.13	6^th	191	96.9%

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

Data source: test scores: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary 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: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for University Academy-Lower

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2007	14	579	3	8	9	n/a	n/a	613
2008	27	685	5	12	5	n/a	n/a	734
2009	22	678	4	13	5	n/a	n/a	722
2010	8	576	4	10	3	n/a	n/a	601
2011	10	534	4	12	1	0	0	561
2012	7	544	5	14	1	0	0	571
2013	14	552	5	15	0	0	0	586
2014	14	596	2	12	0	0	0	624
2015	10	598	2	11	0	0	0	621
2016	8	599	1	7	0	0	0	615
2017	4	637	0	8	0	0	0	649
2018	9	628	0	12	0	0	0	649
2019	10	626	4	10	0	0	0	650
2020	13	628	5	7	0	0	0	653
2021	9	602	6	5	3	0	0	625
2022	15	576	4	5	4	0	0	604
2023	13	592	3	6	3	0	0	617
2024	18	574	2	7	4	0	0	605

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 University Academy-Lower

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	613	33.0	18.6	76.2
2008	734	46.3	15.9	79.4
2009	722	49.0	14.7	82.8
2010	601	41.5	14.4	82.4
2011	561	34.1	16.4	79
2012	571	32.7	17.4	77.1
2013	586	35.7	16.4	79.9
2014	624	39.6	15.7	82.4
2015	621	41.0	15.1	81.6
2016	615	41.0	15.0	78.7
2017	649	39.8	16.3	78.3
2018	649	42.0	15.4	70.3
2019	650	42.0	15.4	75.7
2020	653	43.0	15.1	69.1
2021	625	41.8	14.9	61.4
2022	604	42.0	14.3	72.8
2023	617	41.0	15.0	99.5
2024	605	40.0	15.1	100

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 University Academy-Lower

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	613	33.0	18.6	76.2
2008	734	46.3	15.9	79.4
2009	722	49.0	14.7	82.8
2010	601	41.5	14.4	82.4
2011	561	34.1	16.4	79
2012	571	32.7	17.4	77.1
2013	586	35.7	16.4	79.9
2014	624	39.6	15.7	82.4
2015	621	41.0	15.1	81.6
2016	615	41.0	15.0	78.7
2017	649	39.8	16.3	78.3
2018	649	42.0	15.4	70.3
2019	650	42.0	15.4	75.7
2020	653	43.0	15.1	69.1
2021	625	41.8	14.9	61.4
2022	604	42.0	14.3	72.8
2023	617	41.0	15.0	99.5
2024	605	40.0	15.1	100

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 University Academy-Lower

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$664 (5.7%)	$10,972 (94.3%)	$11,636
2020	$902 (7.4%)	$11,309 (92.6%)	$12,211
2021	$954 (7.7%)	$11,371 (92.3%)	$12,326
2022	$1,853 (13.6%)	$11,816 (86.4%)	$13,670

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on University Academy-Lower

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 647^th of 1052 Elementary schools	Ranks 694^th of 898 Elementary schools	15.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (University Academy-Lower)	43.1	30	13.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (University Academy)	43.1	30	13.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46	41.1	4.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (University Academy-Lower)	38.1	34	4.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (University Academy)	38.1	34	4.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	48.7	42.4	6.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (University Academy-Lower)	53.3	25.5	27.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (University Academy)	53.3	25.5	27.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	46.8	43.8	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (University Academy-Lower)	40.9	21.6	19.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (University Academy)	40.9	21.6	19.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	49.3	45.9	3.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (University Academy-Lower)	43	26.8	16.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (University Academy)	43	26.8	16.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)	40.3	39.1	1.2%
5th Grade Science (University Academy-Lower)	31.2	26.8	4.4%
5th Grade Science (University Academy)	31.2	26.8	4.4%
5th Grade Science (Missouri)	42.5	40.9	1.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (University Academy-Lower)	38.7	28.7	10%
5th Grade English Language Arts (University Academy)	38.7	28.7	10%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)	47.1	44.1	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	650	617	5.1%
African American	626	592	5.4%
American Indian	0	3
Asian	4	3	25%
Hispanic	10	6	40%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	10	13	30%
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	75.7%	99.5%	23.8%

Schools Near University Academy-Lower

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MAP Mathematics (2024)					MAP Science (2024)		MAP 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	MAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MAP Science 5th Grade	MAP Science 8th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
University Academy-Lower	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	6801 Holmes Rd	Kansas City	64131	Jackson County	University Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 412-5973	605	40	15.1	100.0%	18 (3.0%)	574 (94.9%)	7 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27.1	679^th of 906 public elementary schools	25.1%		26.5	694^th of 898 public elementary schools	22.7%	15	26.4	27.0	30.5						32.0	26.0			$13,670	$1,853	$11,816
Academie Lafayette Oak Elementary	Public, Charter	K-5	6903 Oak Street	Kansas City	64113	Jackson County	Academie Lafayette	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 361-7735	498	20	25.0	19.7%	313 (62.9%)	88 (17.7%)	40 (8.0%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (10.6%)	90.6	61^st of 906 public elementary schools	93.3%		74.1	198^th of 898 public elementary schools	78.0%	137	71.5	63.2	60.5			62.0		61.6	74.9				$10,624	$507	$10,117
Border Star Montessori	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	6321 Wornall Rd	Kansas City	64113	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	Yes	No	No	(816) 418-5150	254	19	13.4	100.0%	123 (48.4%)	98 (38.6%)	12 (4.7%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	5 (2.0%)	13 (5.1%)								(n/a)			39.0										$21,461	$3,394	$18,066
Brookside Charter Elementary	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	1815 East 63rd Street	Kansas City	64130	Jackson County	Brookside Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 531-2192	508	54	9.3	99.0%	13 (2.6%)	425 (83.7%)	28 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (8.3%)	16.5	765^th of 906 public elementary schools	15.6%		20.1	738^th of 898 public elementary schools	17.8%	27	28.7	21.3	12.0			22.5		23.4	19.3	21.2			$14,443	$3,293	$11,150
Hale Cook Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	7302 Pennsylvania	Kansas City	64114	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	No	No	No	(816) 418-1601	354	25	13.8	100.0%	195 (55.1%)	86 (24.3%)	29 (8.2%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (2.0%)	32 (9.0%)	61.1	340^th of 906 public elementary schools	62.5%		58.2	371^st of 898 public elementary schools	58.7%	31	38.2	48.8	37.7	17.8		52.8		47.9		54.6	29.5		$19,296	$3,481	$15,815
Academy For Integrated Arts	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	7910 Troost Ave	Kansas City	64131	Jackson County	Academy For Integrated Arts	Yes	No	No	Yes	(816) 444-1720	270	26	10.2	100.0%	28 (10.4%)	207 (76.7%)	21 (7.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.1%)	14.7	786^th of 906 public elementary schools	13.2%		10.8	810^th of 898 public elementary schools	9.8%	24	10.0		18.6	9.6		33.4		15.0	19.6	26.0	14.4		$16,932	$3,713	$13,219
John T. Hartman Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	8111 Oak	Kansas City	64114	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	Yes	No	Yes	(816) 418-1750	381	27	14.0	100.0%	22 (5.8%)	307 (80.6%)	32 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	3 (0.8%)	13 (3.4%)	41.7	546^th of 906 public elementary schools	39.7%		38.3	585^th of 898 public elementary schools	34.9%	39	62.9	52.1	23.0	8.0		18.9		56.4		13.8	12.0		$21,979	$4,528	$17,451
B. Banneker Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	7050 Askew	Kansas City	64132	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 418-1850	499	35	14.4	100.0%	20 (4.0%)	400 (80.2%)	62 (12.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.2%)	3.5	899^th of 906 public elementary schools	0.8%		4.2	884^th of 898 public elementary schools	1.6%	15	5.1		2.8	3.6		7.0		5.0	7.2	5.6	3.6		$17,593	$3,228	$14,365
Ac Prep Elementary	Public	PK, KG-8	6410 Swope Parkway	Kansas City	64132	Jackson County	Kansas City 33	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 418-7704	367	35	10.4	100.0%	3 (0.8%)	327 (89.1%)	15 (4.1%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.1%)	16 (4.4%)	10.2	829^th of 906 public elementary schools	8.5%		12.9	796^th of 898 public elementary schools	11.4%	33	7.4	15.9	7.3		21.5	21.5	6.0	19.6	21.2	14.4	15.5	11.8	$20,834	$3,288	$17,547
Center Elementary	Public	K-5	8401 Euclid Ave	Kansas City	64132	Jackson County	Center 58	No	No	No	Yes	(816) 349-3444	343	25	13.6	100.0%	24 (7.0%)	234 (68.2%)	45 (13.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	39 (11.4%)	4.6	887^th of 906 public elementary schools	2.1%		5.7	866^th of 898 public elementary schools	3.6%	21	3.9	1.8	4.5			8.8		9.7	12.1	10.3			$13,901	$2,421	$11,481

Frequently Asked Questions about University Academy-Lower

What is the racial makeup of University Academy-Lower?

Students at University Academy-Lower are 95% African American, 3% White, 1% Hispanic.

What district is University Academy-Lower in?

University Academy

Is University Academy-Lower a good school?

University Academy-Lower ranks 679^th of 906 Missouri elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend University Academy-Lower?

In the 2023-24 school year, 605 students attended University Academy-Lower.

Rate University Academy-Lower!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary 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.