Union Central Elementary School

Located at 649 Highway 849, in Columbia, Louisiana, Union Central Elementary School is a close-knit elementary-level community that serves 215 students (grades 4 through 5), one of the schools within Caldwell Parish. Enrollment runs roughly 53% leaner than the state mean of about 453.

Within Caldwell Parish, which oversees 5 schools and 1,310 students, Union Central Elementary School is one campus in the system.

On the student-mix side, Union Central Elementary School logs that nearly all students (80%) are White. Other groups include 16% Black, 3% multiracial.

In terms of school funding signals, The school currently runs with 20 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 10.8:1. That figure is tighter than the state norm's 14.0:1 average. An estimated 71% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy.

After controlling for student poverty, Union Central Elementary School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 33.5% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 23.3%.

In the broader community, community-level numbers for Caldwell Parish indicate median household earnings sit near $47,028, roughly 11% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 22% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Caldwell Parish's 5 public schools (combined enrollment of about 1,310 students), Union Central Elementary School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Caldwell Parish High School, roughly 1.5 miles away. 4 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Union Central Elementary School at 3rd of 6; the average score across the group is 28.6%.

The school occupies a rural site.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count shrank 4%: 223 students in 2018 compared to 215 in 2025. The White share of enrollment rose from 57% to 80% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 14.9:1 in 2018 to 10.8:1 today.

On the community side, posts here usually surface around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.