Enrollment
361
Missouri · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · St Louis, MO
Busch Ms Character Athletics
Federal NCES profile for Busch Ms Character Athletics, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 292928002569
👥 S:T ratio 15
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Busch Ms Character Athletics earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Missouri schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools.
- #18 of 19
- middle schools in St Louis · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.2:1
- large classes for Missouri
- 99.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Busch Ms Character Athletics has class sizes larger than 98% of Missouri schools. Computed live against every Missouri school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Busch Ms Character Athletics ranks #18 of 19 middle schools in St Louis, MO.
School address
District: St. Louis City · Missouri
NCES ID 292928002569 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.2:1
vs 12.8:1 Missouri avg
+66% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
99.2%
vs 46.1% Missouri avg
+115% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Busch Ms Character Athletics compares with Missouri and U.S. medians
What stands out at Busch Ms Character Athletics
Busch Ms Character Athletics is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in St Louis, Missouri, enrolling 361 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.2:1 is larger than about 98% of Missouri schools and 66% above the 12.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 99.2% of students qualify for free meals, 115% above the Missouri average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 361 students, its enrollment sits close to the Missouri median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 2,313 Missouri schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 223 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Missouri schools statewide, it ranks #202, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (52%) and White (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 361 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding St. Louis City spends $17,843 per pupil, 38% above the Missouri average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 166 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 361 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
St. Louis City also operates Gateway High (860 students) and Roosevelt High (734 students) alongside Busch Ms Character Athletics.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Busch Ms Character Athletics compares
Busch Ms Character Athletics on the metrics families compare, against Missouri and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Missouri | Missouri avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.2:1 | ▲ 66% | 12.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.2% | ▲ 115% | 46.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 361 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.2:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
361
Bigger than 41% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
99.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 115% above the Missouri average of 46.1%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.2:1
students per teacher
- 66% above state mean
Top 98% in Missouri - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
49.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$17,843
per pupil, district-wide
- above Missouri avg of $12,931
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 361 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
128
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 35.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 46.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 52.1%
White 22.2%
Hispanic or Latino 13.9%
Asian 8.0%
Two or More 3.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: African American at 52.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.2, Busch Ms Character Athletics is more mixed than the Missouri school average of 31.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for St. Louis City, which includes Busch Ms Character Athletics.
$17,843
Per student
+38%
vs Missouri
Avg $12,931
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 78.0%
State 5.8%
Federal 16.2%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Busch Ms Character Athletics Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roosevelt High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Vashon High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mckinley Class. Leadership Ac. | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Stix Early Childhood Ctr. | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Busch Ms Character Athletics's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 860
- Students per teacher
- 11.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 734
- Students per teacher
- 21:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 621
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 610
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 472
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Missouri, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~361 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Busch Ms Character Athletics's federal record.
- Compare Busch Ms Character Athletics against another school. Compare schools
- St. Louis City's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Busch Ms Character Athletics
How many students attend Busch Ms Character Athletics?
Busch Ms Character Athletics has 361 students enrolled. It is a middle school in St Louis, MO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Busch Ms Character Athletics?
The student-teacher ratio at Busch Ms Character Athletics is 21.2:1, which is 66% higher than the Missouri average of 12.8:1 and 35% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Busch Ms Character Athletics?
99.2% of students at Busch Ms Character Athletics are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Missouri average of 46.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Busch Ms Character Athletics?
The largest demographic group at Busch Ms Character Athletics is African American at 52.1% of enrollment, in St Louis, MO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Busch Ms Character Athletics?
Busch Ms Character Athletics has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Busch Ms Character Athletics rank among middle schools in St Louis?
By Resource Investment Index, Busch Ms Character Athletics ranks #18 of 19 middle schools in St Louis, MO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in St Louis on the city page.
Is Busch Ms Character Athletics a good school?
Busch Ms Character Athletics earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Missouri schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Missouri schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in St. Louis City?
Besides Busch Ms Character Athletics, St. Louis City also operates Gateway High (860 students), Roosevelt High (734 students), and Vashon High (621 students). See the St. Louis City district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.