Bluford CS

5801 Media St.
Philadelphia, PA 19131

www.universalcompanies.org/BLUFORD.html

Charter School 525 Students

Elementary School K - 8th

School Overview

Universal Bluford Charter School, located in the Carroll Park neighborhood of West Philadelphia, is a K-8 public charter school operated by Universal Companies. The school is named in honor of Dr. Guion S. Bluford, Jr., the first African American astronaut to travel into space, and it reflects his legacy by emphasizing academic excellence, high expectations, and a commitment to preparing students for future success in competitive high school environments.

The school operates under a mission focused on providing a high-quality education that blends rigorous academics with a supportive community culture. As part of the Universal network, Bluford utilizes a structured curriculum designed to foster critical thinking and literacy skills while addressing the individual needs of its diverse student population. Beyond the classroom, the school emphasizes character development and community involvement, striving to act as a stable educational anchor for families in the West Philadelphia area.

525

Total Students

17.0

Full-Time Teachers

30.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Bluford CS
Demographic	Student Count
Hispanic	94
Black	425
Asian	1
Two or More	1
American Indian	4

Black
425 (81.0%)
Hispanic
94 (17.9%)
American Indian
4 (0.8%)
Asian
1 (0.2%)
Two or More
1 (0.2%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	N/A
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	Bluford CS
Phone:	(215)732-6518
Website:	http://www.universalcompanies.org/BLUFORD.html
Grade Range:	K - 8th
Total Students:	525
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	17.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	30.9
NSLP Participation:¹	N/A
Qualified Free Lunch:	N/A
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	N/A

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 48

Grade 1 63

Grade 2 77

Grade 3 74

Grade 4 70

Grade 5 70

Grade 6 70

Grade 7 23

Grade 8 30