Lift for Life Academy

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

St Louis, Missouri - 3 schools

An equity score of 83/100 ranks Lift for Life Academy #23 of 433 districts in Missouri (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $18,408 per pupil, Lift for Life Academy ranks #70 of 552 Missouri districts by per-pupil spending (Missouri districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

809
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$18,408
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Lift for Life Academy operates 3 public schools serving 809 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Missouri. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 elementary, 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in St. Louis City.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,408 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 552 Missouri districts by per-pupil spending. See how Missouri compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 20.7% local, 55.0% state, and 24.3% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 83/100, ranked #23 of 433 in Missouri against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 166.7:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 33.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 97.3% African American, 0.6% White, 0.2% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lift for Life Academy, with a diversity index of 7.4/100.

Its largest campus is Lift for Life Academy High Sch, enrolling 383 students (44% of the district's total enrollment).

Lift for Life Academy High Sch accounts for 44.3% of all Lift for Life Academy student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Lift for Life Academy-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Lift for Life Academy reports 98.2% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Lift for Life Academy student-counselor ratio is 167:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Lift for Life Academy chronic absenteeism rate is 33.6% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

24.3%
Federal
55.0%
State
20.7%
Local

Funding Equity

83
Equity Score
23 / 433
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Lift for Life Academy.

White 0.6%
African American 97.3%
Multiracial 1.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 5.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Lift for Life Academy's schools, below the Missouri average of 31.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lift for Life Academy 7.4
  2. 2 Lift for Life Academy Elem. 4.5
  3. 3 Lift for Life Academy High Sch 4.1

Programs & Resources

166.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
33.6%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Lift for Life Academy

School Enrollment
Lift for Life Academy High Sch
Charter
383
Lift for Life Academy
Charter
260
Lift for Life Academy Elem.
Charter
222

How Lift for Life Academy Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Missouri districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
South Harrison Co. R-Ii Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Elsberry R-Ii Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Valley Park Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Kipp: Endeavor Academy Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Laclede Co. R-I Similar size Lower spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Lift for Life Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Missouri

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Springfield R-Xii
22,937 students · 57 schools · $14,461/pupil
Compare vs Lift for Life Academy →
Rockwood R-Vi
20,563 students · 31 schools · $12,527/pupil
Compare vs Lift for Life Academy →
North Kansas City 74
20,561 students · 34 schools · $14,136/pupil
Compare vs Lift for Life Academy →
Columbia 93
18,800 students · 36 schools · $13,936/pupil
Compare vs Lift for Life Academy →
St. Louis City
18,321 students · 68 schools · $22,979/pupil
Compare vs Lift for Life Academy →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Lift for Life Academy

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Springfield R-Xii →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Lift for Life Academy?

Lift for Life Academy has 3 schools, including 1 high, 1 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 809 students.

How much does Lift for Life Academy spend per student?

Lift for Life Academy spends $18,408 per student. The district has an equity score of 83/100, ranking #23 in Missouri.

What is the demographic composition of Lift for Life Academy?

Lift for Life Academy students are 97.3% African American, 0.6% White, 0.2% Hispanic or Latino, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Lift for Life Academy?

Lift for Life Academy has an equity score of 83/100, ranking #23 out of 433 districts in Missouri.