Universal Institute CS

800 S 15th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146

Charter School 597 Students

Other K - 9th

School Overview

Universal Institute Charter School (often referred to as Universal Institute CS) is a public charter school located in the Graduate Hospital neighborhood of South Philadelphia. Serving students in grades K–8, the school operates under the Universal Companies network, a non-profit organization founded by music legend Kenny Gamble with a focus on revitalizing urban neighborhoods through educational and community development initiatives. The school aims to provide a rigorous academic environment that emphasizes core subjects while fostering a supportive community culture.

In addition to its academic curriculum, Universal Institute CS places a strong emphasis on character development and student engagement. The school typically utilizes a structured environment designed to prepare students for high school success, often incorporating enrichment programs and extracurricular activities to provide a well-rounded educational experience. As a neighborhood-focused institution, it serves as a central hub for families in the 19146 area, operating with a mission to close achievement gaps and empower students to become productive, self-reliant citizens.

597

Total Students

33.0

Full-Time Teachers

18.1

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Universal Institute CS
Demographic	Student Count
White	2
Hispanic	28
Black	556
Asian	4
Two or More	7

Black
556 (93.1%)
Hispanic
28 (4.7%)
Two or More
7 (1.2%)
Asian
4 (0.7%)
White
2 (0.3%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Other
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Universal Institute CS
Phone:	(215)732-7988
Grade Range:	K - 9th
Total Students:	597
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	33.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	18.1
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* 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 65

Grade 1 69

Grade 2 66

Grade 3 64

Grade 4 72

Grade 5 70

Grade 6 69

Grade 7 59

Grade 8 63