Is Universal Alcorn Charter School a good school?

Universal Alcorn Charter School ranks in the bottom 19.6% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

How many students attend Universal Alcorn Charter School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 461 students attended Universal Alcorn Charter School.

What is the racial makeup of Universal Alcorn Charter School?

Students at Universal Alcorn Charter School are 87% African American, 6% Hispanic, 3% Asian, 2% White, 2% Two or more races.

Universal Alcorn Charter School

Summary:

Universal Alcorn Charter School is an elementary school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, serving 461 students from kindergarten to 8th grade. The school is part of the Philadelphia City School District, which is ranked 493 out of 606 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating.

While Universal Alcorn Charter School has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (87.2%) compared to nearby schools, it consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with academic performance well below state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. The school has an extremely high percentage of students (99.78%) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. Additionally, the school has experienced fluctuating dropout rates, ranging from 0% to 5.6% over the past few years.

When compared to the nearby Powel Samuel School, which is 1.58 miles away, Universal Alcorn Charter School is significantly underperforming academically. However, the school's African American students perform relatively better, ranking 152 out of 437 Pennsylvania elementary schools for this subgroup. Despite a steady increase in per-student spending, from $12,737 in 2018-2019 to $16,689 in 2021-2022, the school's academic performance has not seen significant improvements, suggesting a need to re-evaluate its resource allocation and instructional strategies.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

3200 Dickinson Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146

(215) 952-6219

District: Universal Alcorn Charter School

SchoolDigger Rank:
1233^rd of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,689

Student/teacher ratio: 14.4

Number of students: 461

Racial breakdown:

African American:

87.2%

Hispanic:

6.3%

Asian:

2.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.8%

See top rated Pennsylvania elementary schools

Compare Universal Alcorn Charter School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Universal Alcorn Charter School ranks worse than 80.4% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.52. (See more...)

Compare Details Universal Alcorn Charter School ranks worse than 74% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.67. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (87.2%), Hispanic (6.3%), Asian (2.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Universal Alcorn Charter School is 14.4. (See more...)

Compare Universal Alcorn Charter School employs 32 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Universal Alcorn Charter School is $16,689.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Universal Alcorn Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Universal Alcorn Charter School 1233^rd of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Universal Alcorn Charter School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Universal Alcorn Charter School 661^st of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Universal Alcorn Charter School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

Universal Alcorn Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Universal Alcorn Charter School 493^rd of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Universal Alcorn Charter School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2015	4.61	1403^rd	1474	4.8%
2016	7.09	1422^nd	1554	8.5%
2017	9.95	1362^nd	1547	12.0%
2018	12.18	1323^rd	1530	13.5%
2019	15.13	1294^th	1544	16.2%
2021	12.21	1228^th	1433	14.3%
2022	18.87	1229^th	1534	19.9%
2023	19.52	1233^rd	1534	19.6%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	30.87	1049^th	1414	25.8%

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

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	56.35	152^nd	437	65.2%

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

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

Rank History for Universal Alcorn Charter School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile
2015	10.32	731^st	835	12.5%
2016	10.53	752^nd	870	13.6%
2017	18.55	696^th	877	20.6%
2018	30.64	603^rd	861	30.0%
2019	32.05	614^th	891	31.1%
2021	19.56	627^th	797	21.3%
2022	27.89	625^th	883	29.2%
2023	23.67	661^st	893	26.0%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	34.86	588^th	874	32.7%

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

Rank History for middle school African American students at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	54.41	152^nd	421	63.9%

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

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania 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: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Universal Alcorn Charter School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2014	2	500	4	0	1	3	0	510
2015	2	535	11	9	1	4	3	565
2016	6	475	10	13	0	2	3	509
2017	4	433	9	10	0	0	3	459
2018	6	590	14	16	0	0	3	629
2019	11	576	9	24	0	0	10	630
2020	11	485	6	21	0	0	9	532
2021	10	479	8	25	0	0	7	529
2022	10	468	11	27	0	0	8	524
2023	9	402	13	29	1	0	7	461

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 Universal Alcorn Charter School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	510	11.0	46.3	0
2015	565	33.0	17.1	0
2016	509	31.0	16.4	93.7
2017	459	20.0	22.9	n/a
2018	629	28.0	22.4	69.2
2019	630	28.0	22.5	94.8
2020	532	19.0	28.0	99.8
2021	529	28.0	18.8	100
2022	524	35.0	14.9	98.3
2023	461	32.0	14.4	99.8

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 Universal Alcorn Charter School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	510	11.0	46.3	0
2015	565	33.0	17.1	0
2016	509	31.0	16.4	93.7
2017	459	20.0	22.9	n/a
2018	629	28.0	22.4	69.2
2019	630	28.0	22.5	94.8
2020	532	19.0	28.0	99.8
2021	529	28.0	18.8	100
2022	524	35.0	14.9	98.3
2023	461	32.0	14.4	99.8

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 Universal Alcorn Charter School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,312 (10.3%)	$11,426 (89.7%)	$12,737
2020	$1,875 (12.6%)	$13,053 (87.4%)	$14,928
2021	$3,032 (21.0%)	$11,387 (79.0%)	$14,419
2022	$3,470 (20.8%)	$13,219 (79.2%)	$16,689

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Universal Alcorn Charter 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 1294^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 1233^rd of 1534 Elementary schools	3.4%
Ranks 614^th of 891 Middle schools	Ranks 661^st of 893 Middle schools	5.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	27.8	35.1	7.3%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	43.8	28.6	15.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	19	15	4%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	48.7	47.5	1.2%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	41.1	17.5	23.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
5th Grade Math (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	28.8	29.8	1%
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	36.4	51.1	14.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
6th Grade Math (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	17.1	2.3	14.8%
6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	39	36.4	2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	30.4	30.2	0.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63	55.6	7.4%
7th Grade Math (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	31.9	8.7	23.2%
7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	38.2	33.2	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	57.7	50	7.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.5	54.5	6%
8th Grade Math (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	21.1	10.9	10.2%
8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	32.2	26	6.2%
8th Grade Science (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	29	33.3	4.3%
8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	58.2	57	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	50	40	10%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	57.9	52.8	5.1%
All Grades Math (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	24.4	16.6	7.8%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	42	40	2%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Universal Alcorn Charter School)	42.6	37.1	5.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	630	461	26.8%
African American	576	402	30.2%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	9	13	44.4%
Hispanic	24	29	20.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	11	9	18.2%
Two or More Races	10	7	30%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	94.8%	99.8%	5%

Schools Near Universal Alcorn Charter School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				PSSA Math (2023)							PSSA Science (2023)			PSSA English Language Arts (2023)							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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSSA Math 3rd Grade	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Universal Alcorn Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	3200 Dickinson Street	Philadelphia	19146	Philadelphia County	Universal Alcorn Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(215) 952-6219	461	32	14.4	99.8%	9 (2.0%)	402 (87.2%)	29 (6.3%)	13 (2.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.5%)	19.5	1233^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	19.6%		18.9	1229^th of 1534 public elementary schools	19.9%	4	35.1	15.0	29.8	2.3	8.7	10.9	16.6	47.5	33.3	40.0	28.6	17.5	51.1	30.2	50.0	40.0	37.1	$16,689	$3,470	$13,219
McDaniel Delaplaine School	Public	K-8	1801 S 22nd Street	Philadelphia	19145	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-8220	224	22	10.3	100.0%	5 (2.2%)	171 (76.3%)	25 (11.2%)	9 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (6.3%)	4.7	1484^th of 1534 public elementary schools	3.3%		6.5	1428^th of 1534 public elementary schools	6.9%	56	0.0	0.0	12.5	4.0	0.0	0.0	2.9	34.8	15.8	26.2	11.1	12.5	16.0	7.7	0.0	5.0	9.0	$23,151	$11,285	$11,866
Comegys Benjamin B School	Public	K-8	5100 Greenway Ave	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7860	320	21	14.9	100.0%	3 (0.9%)	302 (94.4%)	6 (1.9%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.9%)	5.7	1454^th of 1534 public elementary schools	5.2%		5.8	1450^th of 1534 public elementary schools	5.5%	4	10.3	12.5	8.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	5.2	31.2	17.4	25.4	13.3	25.0	13.2	13.2	17.1	20.9	16.7	$20,666	$11,464	$9,202
Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy	Public	K-8	2000 Catharine St	Philadelphia	19146	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7940	307	27	11.2	100.0%	114 (37.1%)	135 (44.0%)	15 (4.9%)	22 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.8%)	60.4	690^th of 1534 public elementary schools	55.0%		51.3	873^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	43.1%	183	84.4	63.7	31.2	4.8	10.0	15.0	40.5	81.8	21.0	59.6	87.5	78.8	40.6	20.0	35.0	20.0	52.3	$21,284	$9,894	$11,390
Girard Stephen School	Public	K-4	1800 Snyder Ave	Philadelphia	19145	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-8180	293	21	13.9	100.0%	14 (4.8%)	181 (61.8%)	31 (10.6%)	54 (18.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.4%)	19.8	1229^th of 1534 public elementary schools	19.9%		12.6	1304^th of 1534 public elementary schools	15.0%	75	26.9	29.3					28.0	52.6		52.6	36.3	32.8					34.7	$21,669	$10,998	$10,671
Childs George W School	Public	PK, KG-8	1599 Wharton St	Philadelphia	19146	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7950	425	39	10.8	100.0%	34 (8.0%)	169 (39.8%)	120 (28.2%)	70 (16.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (7.3%)	15.8	1267^th of 1534 public elementary schools	17.4%		10.8	1328^th of 1534 public elementary schools	13.4%	61	34.3	23.7	22.2	4.8	2.8	10.3	16.7	40.0	35.9	38.3	34.3	26.5	30.4	33.4	32.4	35.9	31.7	$20,188	$9,415	$10,773
Penn Alexander School	Public	K-8	4209 Spruce St	Philadelphia	19104	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7760	579	37	15.8	100.0%	263 (45.4%)	76 (13.1%)	27 (4.7%)	155 (26.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	57 (9.8%)	92.2	57^th of 1534 public elementary schools	96.3%		89.5	106^th of 1534 public elementary schools	93.1%	49	82.0	80.0	66.1	90.5	72.8	68.6	77.1	95.7	80.0	89.1	83.3	85.5	78.0	92.6	93.2	82.3	85.3	$16,543	$7,544	$8,999
Mitchell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-8	5500 Kingsessing Ave	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7880	337	30	11.1	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	312 (92.6%)	15 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.7%)	3.7	1511^th of 1534 public elementary schools	1.5%		5	1470^th of 1534 public elementary schools	4.2%	41	0.0	12.9	0.0	0.0	0.0	3.7	3.7	32.3	16.6	24.6	7.4	9.4	12.5	8.3	5.6	37.9	14.9	$21,810	$10,806	$11,004
Stanton Edwin Middle School	Public	PK, KG-8	1700 Christian St	Philadelphia	19146	Philadelphia County	Philadelphia City School District	No	No	No	Yes	(215) 400-7960	322	24	13.3	100.0%	46 (14.3%)	215 (66.8%)	25 (7.8%)	12 (3.7%)	4 (1.2%)	3 (0.9%)	17 (5.3%)	33.6	1095^th of 1534 public elementary schools	28.6%		19.2	1218^th of 1534 public elementary schools	20.6%	123	45.9	31.6	13.8	18.7	14.3	4.0	21.9	63.2	40.0	54.0	50.0	36.9	48.3	53.1	28.6	44.0	43.8	$20,342	$10,355	$9,987
Independence Charter School West	Public, Charter	K-8	5600 Chester Avenue	Philadelphia	19143	Philadelphia County	Independence Charter School West	Yes	No	No	Yes	(215) 724-5600	833	58	14.3	99.8%	23 (2.8%)	752 (90.3%)	30 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.0%)	9.7	1362^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	11.2%		10.3	1333^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	13.1%	29	25.5	10.3	9.6	9.6	6.9	5.6	12.2	45.3	22.2	38.9	22.7	19.6	18.1	30.1	19.5	30.5	22.5	$17,132	$3,196	$13,936

Universal Alcorn Charter School

Universal Alcorn Charter School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Universal Alcorn Charter School:

What do you think?

Rank History for Universal Alcorn Charter School

Rank History for all elementary school students at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Rank History for Universal Alcorn Charter School

Rank History for all middle school students at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Rank History for middle school African American students at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Enrollment information for Universal Alcorn Charter School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Universal Alcorn Charter School

Student/Teacher Ratio Universal Alcorn Charter School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Universal Alcorn Charter School

Impact of COVID-19 on Universal Alcorn Charter School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Universal Alcorn Charter School

Frequently Asked Questions about Universal Alcorn Charter School

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