Underwood Elementary School

Underwood Elementary School, an intimate elementary campus in Florence, Alabama, operated by Lauderdale County, instructs 343 students, covering grades pre-K through 6. Enrollment runs roughly 29% leaner than the state mean of about 480.

Across the 14 schools in Lauderdale County (7,952 students total), Underwood Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On demographics, Underwood Elementary School shows that nearly all students (90%) are White. Beyond that, the school shows 4% Black, 4% multiracial.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Underwood Elementary School has 22 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 15.8:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 17.0:1, putting Underwood Elementary School tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 47% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Underwood Elementary School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 49.9%; this one delivers 55.6%.

In the surrounding community, Lauderdale County reports that median household earnings sit near $62,649, roughly 30% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and the poverty rate sits near 9%. Across Lauderdale County's 24 public schools (combined enrollment of about 12,526 students), Underwood Elementary School is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Forest Hills School, around 2.0 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Underwood Elementary School. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Underwood Elementary School at 1st of 8; the average score across the group is 34.1%.

The campus sits in a commuter-belt setting.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Underwood Elementary School has edged down 5%, going from 361 students in 2018 to 343 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share ticked down from 96% to 90%. The student-to-teacher ratio tightened from 18.1:1 in 2018 to 15.8:1 today.

Inside the community feed, members of the Underwood Elementary School community share and discuss sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.