THE BIOME

As a tight-knit elementary school in ST. LOUIS, Missouri, THE BIOME enrolls 167 students from grades K through 5, one of the schools within THE BIOME. That puts it 47% smaller than the typical public school in Missouri, which averages around 315 students.

Operationally, THE BIOME answers to THE BIOME, which sets policy, hires staff, and reports enrollment to the state.

In terms of who attends, THE BIOME shows that nearly all students (89%) are Black; the rest consists of 5% multiracial, 3% White, 2% Hispanic. The wider county runs roughly 42% Black, putting the school's mix noticeably more Black than the area baseline.

Looking at school resources, The school reports having 23 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 7.3:1. The state averages around 12.4:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 83% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, St. Louis city runs at roughly 92%, so the school's eligibility rate is meaningfully below the surrounding baseline.

With demographic context factored in, THE BIOME tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 49.7% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 48.8%.

Across the wider county, ACS estimates for St. Louis city put median household income runs about $56,160, roughly 41% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 15% of residents live below the federal poverty line. THE BIOME is one of 113 public schools in St. Louis city (combined enrollment of about 29,941 students).

Nearest neighbor: WASHINGTON MONTESSORI, around 0.7 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around THE BIOME. Among the 7 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), THE BIOME ranks 4th on composite proficiency, beneath the local average of 53.7%.

The school occupies a downtown site. THE BIOME operates as a public charter school, meaning it is publicly funded but governed independently of the surrounding district's traditional schools.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count climbed 21%: 138 students in 2018 compared to 167 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share contracted from 9% to 3%. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 10.8:1 in 2018 to 7.3:1 today.

On this page, the feed for THE BIOME typically covers open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.