The top reported proficiency rate is 22% in Science. The lowest is 12% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Kairos Academies
Kairos Academies is a charter school in south St. Louis city serving grades five through eight. It is part of a small, growing charter network that has expanded its grade span to include high school, graduating its first senior class recently, which gives families a continuous middle-through-high-school pathway that did not exist before. The school is located on Miami Street in the city's southern neighborhoods, and its charter has been renewed with a contract running through the end of the decade, providing operational stability for any parent considering enrollment.
The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of white students and a modest number of students identifying as two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with significant economic need. The school is compact, with a total enrollment that is small for a middle-school setting, and it draws students from across the city through the charter enrollment system. Housing in the surrounding zip code is moderately priced by local standards, with home values below the state median and rents that have risen slightly, reflecting the broader St. Louis market where affordability varies sharply by neighborhood.
State testing results from the most recent year show that across almost every grade and subject, the share of students scoring proficient or above is low. In math, the proficiency rate among sixth graders was in the single digits, and it climbed only modestly by seventh and eighth grade. In English language arts, the pattern was similar: proficiency rates rose somewhat by eighth grade but remained well below a quarter of students. Science results, available for eighth graders only, showed a similar level. One testing cohort for fifth graders had its data suppressed, likely due to a small group size, so the full picture for that grade is not public. Participation rates for most tests were not reported, but the eighth grade ELA test had a participation rate that met the standard threshold, so the results for that group are a valid measure.
The school's overall proficiency index, which averages performance across all tested subjects and grades, places it below the midpoint relative to other districts in St. Louis city. This means that by the standard measure of state test performance, Kairos Academies falls on the lower end of the district-by-district comparison within the city. A parent weighing academic outcomes would want to understand what kind of academic support the school provides and how it addresses the gaps evident in the testing data. No information was available on the school's offerings in special education services, English learner support, course access, or discipline practices, so the picture of what happens inside the school beyond test scores is incomplete, and a parent may want to ask the school directly about these areas.
On the positive side, the district has made a publicly reported commitment to raising starting teacher pay, framing it as a policy aimed at attracting and retaining staff. The school's existence as a charter provides an alternative to the traditional district schools in St. Louis city, and its expansion into a full grade five-through-twelve pathway means a family can stay with the same school through high school without needing to switch. For a family considering this option, the academic results are the clear soft spot, and a deeper look at the school's instructional approach and student support resources would be warranted. The school is a small, mission-driven choice in a city with many public schooling options, and it fits a family looking for a charter pathway through middle school and beyond, but the testing data signals that the school has work to do on core academic attainment.
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