Original Research by School Decision on Soldan International Studies
Soldan International Studies is a regular public high school serving grades nine through twelve as part of the St. Louis City school district. Located in the city of St. Louis, an independent city with a diverse economy anchored by major employers such as the Federal Reserve Bank, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the school sits within a community that also offers robust civic and cultural institutions including Forest Park, the Saint Louis Zoo, and the Missouri Botanical Garden.
The school’s enrollment is small for a high school, and the student body is predominantly Black, with smaller shares of Hispanic, White, and Asian students. Every student at Soldan qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a high level of economic need across the school community.
Academically, the data available is limited. State testing results were reported for a single recent year, showing that the proficiency rate in English language arts was low. This figure comes from one point in time, with no trend available to show improvement or decline. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand the specific instructional supports and academic programs in place. No data on proficiency in math or science was available, and there was no graduation rate reported for the school. Because the data does not provide a reason for the missing graduation rate, it is possible that the school is an alternative or special-purpose setting that sits outside standard accountability measures, though the school’s directory identifies it as a regular school. No information was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline, course access such as Advanced Placement or dual-credit offerings, or staffing ratios.
The school’s academic positioning relative to other districts in St. Louis city could not be assessed, as the proficiency index and graduation rate metrics were not applicable due to missing data for the entity.
Housing in the zip code area serving the school shows home values that are roughly in line with the national median and rents that are somewhat below the national average. The area is moderately affordable relative to income, with rent estimated at a reasonable share of household earnings. The mortgage rate environment at the time of this writing has eased slightly from recent highs, which may factor into a family’s housing decision.
No recent parent-relevant changes to the district, such as boundary shifts, program launches, or leadership transitions, were found in publicly reported sources, so that context is not available to shape the picture.
Soldan International Studies serves a student population with high economic need. The academic picture from state data is thin and shows a low proficiency rate in reading, with no testing results in other subjects or a graduation rate to provide a fuller view. Families considering this school would likely want to look into its specific academic programs and support structures directly with the school to get a more complete sense of the student experience.
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