The top reported proficiency rate is 55% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on University Charter School Secondary
University Charter School Secondary is a public charter school serving grades six through twelve in Livingston, Alabama, a small county-seat town in west-central Alabama that is home to the University of West Alabama. The school operates on the UWA campus, which gives it a direct connection to a university setting even as it serves a middle and high school population. It is the only secondary school within its own charter district, also called University Charter School, and it is one of just two districts in Sumter County, so the comparison set for academic performance is narrow.
The school opened relatively recently and graduated its first senior class in 2023, meaning its track record is still short. State testing data is available only for grades six through eight, because Alabama’s state assessments cover those grades, not high school. On those tests, English language arts proficiency is the relative strength, with a majority of middle school students meeting the bar in grade seven and about half doing so in grades six and eight. Math proficiency is noticeably lower across all three middle grades, and science proficiency for grade eight sits in between. The combined proficiency index across tested subjects and grades places this school above the midpoint relative to the two Sumter County districts, a solid position given the small pool. No graduation rate data is available yet, likely because the school’s first cohort just finished; a parent may want to ask the school directly about its four-year outcomes.
The student body is small, drawing from Livingston and the surrounding area. Demographically, the school is roughly evenly split between Black students and White students, with a small share of students from other racial backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the area’s economic conditions. Livingston’s median household income is low, and the town has been losing population in recent years, which shapes the broader context families encounter. The school itself does not report counts for students with disabilities or English learners in the available data, so those support structures are not documented here.
The housing market in the area is among the more affordable in the state, with home values well below the Alabama average, and rents are modest. This means that for families who can choose to live in Livingston or commute from nearby towns, housing costs are not a high barrier. The town itself is compact, with a historic courthouse square, a small university campus, and limited retail and services. The University of West Alabama is the dominant employer, along with county government and the school district itself. Street life is quiet, and the town’s small size makes the core walkable, though amenities are sparse.
What sets this school apart is its charter status and its recent physical expansion. In 2023, the school opened a new campus in Livingston that houses grades four through twelve, with a gym, a tornado shelter, career-exploration spaces for health sciences and marketing, a student-run coffee bar, and a lunchroom. That facility was a significant upgrade from previous quarters. The school’s charter was renewed by the state commission in 2022, securing its operation for another term. These developments suggest an institution that is growing and investing in its infrastructure, even as the town itself contracts. The first graduating class of seventeen students, most of whom went on to college, gives a small but tangible early data point for families weighing postsecondary options.
For a parent considering this school, the key factors are its small size, its university-adjacent setting, its charter flexibility, and a middle school academic profile that is above the county average in ELA but weaker in math. The school does not have a long track record, so outcomes for high school students are still emerging. The surrounding community is rural and economically challenged, with a declining population, but housing is affordable and the school itself appears to be a focused, well-supported institution within that context. A family that values a close-knit school with university ties and is comfortable with a modest rural town may find this a good fit.
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