Built in 1951, the school was originally known as 32nd Avenue Elementary School. In 1985, then principal Louise Crawford led a city-wide initiative to rename the school in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The school’s building was demolished in the summer of 2018, and a new first-class building opened in the spring of 2020. Our third year in our state of the art building is bringing us many new firsts and helping to build lasting memories for all of our scholars.

The school offers a state-of-the-art learning environment with Internet access in all classrooms and a large computer lab. All classrooms have four computers, for student use. Teachers incorporate technology into daily instruction with the use of interactive whiteboards and projectors.

In coordination with the TCS Reading Before Third Grade initiative, we have emphasized reading before 3rd grade. Our efforts are supported by the Book Buddies pilot program, a generous donation from the Tuscaloosa Rotary Club, and coordinated instruction by our highly qualified teachers and volunteers. A variety of educational programs provide students with a wealth of opportunities to excel and achieve.

Our school is one of the few in the state to have a Global Book Vending machine that rewards students with FREE books! Students earn golden tokens by displaying their core values, by following our PBIS plan, and even just coming to school! We have students that have shown academic growth earn numerous golden tokens for their hard work in achieving their goals that they set.

MLK Elementary is fully supported by numerous organizations outside the school that are part of our community. The following partnerships provide instructional and material support: B.F. Goodrich, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Beulah Baptist Church , First United Methodist Church, The LINKS, Optimist Club, and North River Physical Therapy. Through the generous donations of our amazing stakeholders, we are able to erase any barriers that may be existent for our students and teachers.