Sumner High

Summary:

Sumner High is a public high school in Saint Louis, Missouri, serving 264 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the St. Louis City School District, which is ranked 338 out of 376 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sumner High stands out for its significantly higher percentage of African American students (97.73%) compared to nearby schools, which have more diverse racial compositions. The school also consistently ranks among the lowest-performing high schools in Missouri, with proficiency rates well below state and district averages in core subjects like Algebra I, English II, and Government. For example, in 2022-2023, only 17.9% of Sumner High students were proficient or better in English II, compared to 54.4% statewide. Additionally, over 98% of Sumner High students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Despite relatively high per-student spending (around $16,500 in 2021-2022), Sumner High continues to struggle, suggesting that simply increasing funding may not be enough to address the school's challenges. Nearby schools, such as Soldan International Studies, KIPP St. Louis High, and Vashon High, demonstrate a wider range of academic performance and student demographics, indicating that factors beyond just racial and socioeconomic composition may be contributing to Sumner High's persistent underperformance.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

4248 Cottage Ave
Saint Louis, MO 63113-2545

(314) 371-1048

District: St. Louis City

SchoolDigger Rank:
348^th of 352 Missouri High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,512

Feeder schools for Sumner High:

Elementary:	Cole Elementary
	Hamilton Elementary Community Education
	Hickey Elementary
	Laclede Elementary
	More...
	Lexington Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 14.1

Number of students: 264

Racial breakdown:

African American:

97.7%

Hispanic:

1.1%

White:

0.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 98.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Sumner High ranks worse than 98.9% of high schools in Missouri. It also ranks 10^th among 11 ranked high schools in the St. Louis City School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 2.92. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Sumner High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (97.7%), Hispanic (1.1%), White (0.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 98.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sumner High is 14.1. 9 high schools in the St. Louis City School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Sumner High employs 18.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sumner High is $16,512, which is the 7^th highest among 11 high schools in the St. Louis City School District.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Sumner High:

SchoolDigger ranks Sumner High 348^th of 352 Missouri public high schools. (See Sumner High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

African American students:

St. Louis City:

SchoolDigger ranks St. Louis City 338^th of 376 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Sumner High

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Rank History for all students at Sumner High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile
2006	5.07	514^th	534	3.7%
2007	2.99	525^th	538	2.4%
2008	3.12	525^th	539	2.6%
2009	2.17	498^th	507	1.8%
2010	1.49	510^th	516	1.2%
2011	4.28	503^rd	528	4.7%
2012	2.11	510^th	522	2.3%
2013	1.17	516^th	523	1.3%
2014	0.74	515^th	521	1.2%
2015	1.37	493^rd	504	2.2%
2016	0.68	395^th	401	1.5%
2019	2.76	452^nd	460	1.7%
2021	4.90	352^nd	358	1.7%
2022	4.69	356^th	361	1.4%
2023	2.92	348^th	352	1.1%

See the entire list of Missouri High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sumner High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile
2019	4.82	364^th	368	1.1%
2021	10.50	254^th	255	0.4%
2022	10.72	248^th	250	0.8%
2023	20.38	233^rd	268	13.1%

See the entire list of Best Missouri High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Sumner High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	11.33	92^nd	95	3.2%

See the entire list of Best Missouri High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for African American students at Sumner High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MO State Percentile
2019	9.54	100^th	106	5.7%
2021	14.48	96^th	96	0.0%
2022	10.92	105^th	105	0.0%
2023	39.48	59^th	99	40.4%

See the entire list of Best Missouri High Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Enrollment information for Sumner High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	907	907
1992	0	1275	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1275
1993	1	1482	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1483
1994	0	1515	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1515
1995	0	1150	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1150
1996	0	1150	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1150
1997	0	1141	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1141
1998	0	979	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	979
1999	0	915	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	915
2000	19	787	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	807
2001	19	710	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	730
2002	6	896	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	905
2003	6	896	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	905
2004	3	1089	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1094
2005	4	1128	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	1134
2006	4	1188	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	1193
2007	2	837	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	840
2008	6	1006	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	1016
2009	2	940	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	948
2010	2	869	4	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	878
2011	0	583	2	1	0	0	0	0	586
2012	0	520	0	1	0	0	0	0	521
2013	4	748	3	4	0	0	0	0	759
2014	2	574	1	2	0	0	0	0	579
2015	4	433	0	3	0	0	0	0	440
2016	1	355	0	0	0	0	0	0	356
2017	1	318	0	0	0	0	0	0	319
2018	3	268	0	0	0	0	0	0	271
2019	4	262	0	1	0	0	0	0	267
2020	3	190	0	0	0	0	0	0	193
2021	4	223	0	1	0	0	1	0	229
2022	3	212	0	4	0	0	1	0	220
2023	2	258	1	3	0	0	0	0	264

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Sumner High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	907	66.5	13.6	n/a
1992	1275	74.9	17.0	n/a
1993	1483	86.0	17.2	n/a
1994	1515	86.3	17.6	51.6
1995	1150	78.9	14.6	69.7
1996	1150	78.9	14.6	69.7
1997	1141	69.9	16.3	54.7
1998	979	62.9	15.6	55.4
1999	915	60.9	15.0	61.3
2000	807	73.0	11.1	57.9
2001	730	65.0	11.2	44.2
2002	905	71.0	12.7	57.6
2003	905	71.0	12.7	57.6
2004	1094	82.0	13.3	52.2
2005	1134	68.0	16.7	93.7
2006	1193	77.0	15.5	79.5
2007	840	77.9	10.8	68.6
2008	1016	69.0	14.7	65.1
2009	948	71.5	13.3	0
2010	878	68.2	12.8	65.8
2011	586	55.2	10.6	79.5
2012	521	57.2	9.1	95
2013	759	47.5	15.9	62.5
2014	579	35.3	16.3	89.5
2015	440	36.0	12.2	100
2016	356	29.0	12.2	100
2017	319	32.7	9.7	100
2018	271	33.1	8.1	100
2019	267	26.2	10.1	98.9
2020	193	24.3	7.9	98.4
2021	229	23.8	9.6	98.7
2022	220	19.6	11.2	98.6
2023	264	18.6	14.1	98.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Sumner High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	907	66.5	13.6	n/a
1992	1275	74.9	17.0	n/a
1993	1483	86.0	17.2	n/a
1994	1515	86.3	17.6	51.6
1995	1150	78.9	14.6	69.7
1996	1150	78.9	14.6	69.7
1997	1141	69.9	16.3	54.7
1998	979	62.9	15.6	55.4
1999	915	60.9	15.0	61.3
2000	807	73.0	11.1	57.9
2001	730	65.0	11.2	44.2
2002	905	71.0	12.7	57.6
2003	905	71.0	12.7	57.6
2004	1094	82.0	13.3	52.2
2005	1134	68.0	16.7	93.7
2006	1193	77.0	15.5	79.5
2007	840	77.9	10.8	68.6
2008	1016	69.0	14.7	65.1
2009	948	71.5	13.3	0
2010	878	68.2	12.8	65.8
2011	586	55.2	10.6	79.5
2012	521	57.2	9.1	95
2013	759	47.5	15.9	62.5
2014	579	35.3	16.3	89.5
2015	440	36.0	12.2	100
2016	356	29.0	12.2	100
2017	319	32.7	9.7	100
2018	271	33.1	8.1	100
2019	267	26.2	10.1	98.9
2020	193	24.3	7.9	98.4
2021	229	23.8	9.6	98.7
2022	220	19.6	11.2	98.6
2023	264	18.6	14.1	98.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Sumner High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$548 (3.1%)	$17,031 (96.9%)	$17,579
2020	$757 (4.1%)	$17,590 (95.9%)	$18,348
2021	$852 (5.5%)	$14,588 (94.5%)	$15,440
2022	$1,012 (6.1%)	$15,500 (93.9%)	$16,512

Data source: Missouri Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sumner High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 452^nd of 460 High schools	Ranks 348^th of 352 High schools	0.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Algebra I (Sumner High)	0	2.7	2.7%
End of Course Algebra I (St. Louis City)	23.4	15.8	7.6%
End of Course Algebra I (Missouri)	45.3	41.9	3.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	267	264	1.1%
African American	262	258	1.5%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	1	3	200%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	4	2	50%
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	98.9%	98.9%	0%

Schools Near Sumner High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				MAP Algebra I (2023)	MAP Biology I (2023)	MAP English II (2023)	MAP Government (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAP Algebra I End of Course	MAP Biology I End of Course	MAP English II End of Course	MAP Government End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Sumner High	Public, Magnet	9-12	4248 Cottage Ave	Saint Louis	63113	St. Louis city	St. Louis City	No	Yes	No	Yes	(314) 371-1048	264	19	14.1	98.9%	2 (0.8%)	258 (97.7%)	3 (1.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2.9	348^th of 352 public high schools	1.1%		4.7	356^th of 361 public high schools	1.4%	8			17.9	5.4	$16,512	$1,012	$15,500
Beaumont Cte High School	Public	9-12	3836 Natural Bridge Ave	Saint Louis	63107	St. Louis city	St. Louis City	No	No	No	Yes	(314) 533-2410	236	28	6.5	98.7%	33 (14.0%)	100 (42.4%)	77 (32.6%)	26 (11.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3.9	340^th of 352 public high schools	3.4%		4.2	358^th of 361 public high schools	0.8%	18	2.7	6.4	12.9	5.0	$39,093	$3,973	$35,120
Griscom Juvenile Detention Center	Public	5-12	3847 Enright Avenue	Saint Louis	63108	St. Louis city	St. Louis City	No	No	No	Yes	(314) 552-2219	0	4	5.2		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)					$36,078	$412	$35,665
Vashon High	Public	9-12	3035 Cass Ave	Saint Louis	63106	St. Louis city	St. Louis City	No	No	No	Yes	(314) 533-9487	568	41	13.8	99.5%	1 (0.2%)	562 (98.9%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	3	347^th of 352 public high schools	1.4%		4.1	359^th of 361 public high schools	0.6%	12	2.6	2.1	5.2	1.6	$14,340	$808	$13,533
Metro High	Public, Magnet	9-12	4015 McPherson Ave	Saint Louis	63108	St. Louis city	St. Louis City	No	Yes	No	No	(314) 534-3894	343	23	14.9	99.1%	163 (47.5%)	116 (33.8%)	23 (6.7%)	30 (8.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.2%)	97.5	1^st of 352 public high schools	99.7%		93.5	2^nd of 361 public high schools	99.4%	1	84.2	90.1	90.9	83.8	$14,312	$523	$13,789
Miller Career Academy	Public	9-12	1000 N Grand	Saint Louis	63106	St. Louis city	St. Louis City	No	No	No	Yes	(314) 371-0394	532	46	11.6	99.4%	5 (0.9%)	509 (95.7%)	16 (3.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3.4	344^th of 352 public high schools	2.3%		5.1	353^rd of 361 public high schools	2.2%	9	1.7	3.2	16.9	3.4	$15,518	$442	$15,076
Grand Center Arts Academy High	Public, Charter	9-12	711 North Grand Avenue	Saint Louis	63103	St. Louis city	Confluence Academies	Yes	No	No	Yes	(314) 533-1791	417	36	11.7	100.0%	72 (17.3%)	309 (74.1%)	20 (4.8%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.1%)	13.4	310^th of 352 public high schools	11.9%		25.9	263^rd of 361 public high schools	27.1%	47	14.3	15.6			$14,829	$3,928	$10,901
Soldan International Studies	Public, Magnet	9-12	918 N Union Blvd	Saint Louis	63108	St. Louis city	St. Louis City	No	Yes	No	Yes	(314) 367-9222	487	41	11.9	99.4%	8 (1.6%)	439 (90.1%)	28 (5.7%)	6 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.0%)	2.3	351^st of 352 public high schools	0.3%		4.8	355^th of 361 public high schools	1.7%	4		3.3	13.4	3.2	$15,749	$533	$15,216
KIPP St. Louis High	Public, Charter	9-12	706 N Jefferson Ave.	Saint Louis	63103	St. Louis city	KIPP St Louis Public Schools	Yes	No	No	Yes	(314) 241-1030	515	62	8.2	99.4%	9 (1.7%)	487 (94.6%)	15 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	5.2	334^th of 352 public high schools	5.1%		15.2	315^th of 361 public high schools	12.7%	19	2.3	9.5	16.2		$14,469	$5,581	$8,888
Hogan St Regional Youth Center	Public	6-12	1839 Hogan St	Saint Louis	63106	St. Louis city	Division Of Youth Service	No	No	No	No	(314) 241-7525	11	1	11.0	72.7%	4 (36.4%)	7 (63.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Sumner High

What schools feed into Sumner High?

Sumner High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cole Elementary
Elementary : Hamilton Elementary Community Education
Elementary : Hickey Elementary
Elementary : Laclede Elementary
Elementary : Lexington Elementary

How many students attend Sumner High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 264 students attended Sumner High.

What district is Sumner High in?

St. Louis City

Is Sumner High a good school?

Sumner High ranks in the bottom 1.1% of Missouri high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Sumner High?

Students at Sumner High are 98% African American, 1% Hispanic.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.