SUMNER HIGH

264 Students

High School 9th - 12th

School Overview

Sumner High School, located at 4248 Cottage Ave in St. Louis, Missouri, holds a significant place in American history as the first high school for African Americans west of the Mississippi River. Established in 1875, the school was named after U.S. Senator Charles Sumner, a prominent abolitionist. For much of its history, it served as a beacon of academic excellence and cultural pride for the Black community in St. Louis during the era of segregation, boasting a long list of distinguished alumni, including icons like Arthur Ashe, Chuck Berry, and Grace Bumbry.

In the modern era, Sumner High has faced the typical challenges of urban public education, including declining enrollment and aging infrastructure. It remains a historic landmark within the Ville neighborhood, representing the resilience and heritage of St. Louis's educational history. While the school has navigated various district restructurings and controversies regarding its future, it continues to be recognized for its profound legacy as an institution that provided quality education to generations of students despite systemic barriers.

264

Total Students

18.6

Full-Time Teachers

14.2

Student/Teacher Ratio

154.2%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for SUMNER HIGH
Demographic	Student Count
White	2
Hispanic	3
Black	258
Asian	1

Black
258 (97.7 %)
Hispanic
3 (1.1 %)
White
2 (0.8 %)
Asian
1 (0.4 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	ST. LOUIS CITY
Phone:	(314)371-1048
Grade Range:	9th - 12th
Total Students:	264
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	18.6
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	14.2
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	407
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

Grade 9 98

Grade 10 71

Grade 11 46

Grade 12 49