Kilby Laboratory School Makes Top 5 in U.S. News Best Elementary Schools in Alabama Rankings
Oct. 28, 2026
Michelle R. Eubanks , UNA, at meubanks@una.edu, 256.765.4392
FLORENCE, AL – Kilby Laboratory School, on the University of North Alabama campus, has ranked 4th overall in the most recent U.S. News & World Report list of Alabama’s best K-8 schools.
“We are beyond thrilled by these rankings,” said Kilby’s Director Dr. Eric Kirkman. “It is a testament to our faculty and staff who are invested in our students and seek constantly ways to innovate and evolve to continue to pursue excellence in the educational experience.”
Dr. Katie Kinney, Dean of the Spencer College of Education and Human Sciences, says this year’s results illustrate the robust and meaningful ways a Kilby education makes a difference when it comes to student success.
“Kilby’s growth in these rankings is a tremendous reflection of the work our students, faculty, staff, and families do every day. What makes Kilby unique is its dual mission: providing an exceptional educational experience for our students while also serving as a place where future educators can see innovative teaching and learning in action. This recognition speaks to the strength of that mission and, most importantly, to a community deeply committed to helping students and future teachers thrive.”
The rankings are based on reading and math assessment results from the 2023-24 school year. According to U.S. News & World Report, half of each school’s score is based on overall student achievement, while the other half measures how students performed compared with expectations based on the school’s demographics. Nationally, U.S. News ranked approximately 46,000 schools.
About The University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama, Alabama’s first four-year, state-chartered institution, is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; the Spencer College of Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I and United Athletic conference. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: www.una.edu and www.una.edu/unaworks/.