Community Profiles

KIPP, the Knowledge is Power Program, is a national network of open enrollment, college-preparatory public charter schools. With two elementary schools and two middle schools already established in St. Louis, KIPP St. Louis’ (KSL) growth plans included opening its first, flagship high school for students entering 9th grade in the 2017-2018 school year.

In 2012, a charter high school closed at 706 North Jefferson Avenue in St. Louis, leaving the building empty until KSL acquired the property in 2017 intending to renovate it into their new high school.

Within the Near North Side Choice Neighborhood boundary, the new KIPP St. Louis High School initially served 120 9th graders and grew each subsequent year to serve approximately 750 students in grades 9 through 12. The 110,000-square-foot renovation funded in part through MBS-UI’s NMTC financing provided 75,000 square feet for the high school, 25,000 square feet for the KSL regional offices, and 10,000 square feet of collaboration space for use by KSL and local non-profit partners.

As a non-profit educational institution, KSL works with limited financial resources to provide critical services to the low-income population that it serves. The KIPP St. Louis High School is essential to the stability and success of their existing schools and programs in the area.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Quick Facts 

Square Footage: 110,000 SF

Total Investment: $7,304,407

MBS committed allocation: $6,000,000

Developer: KIPP St. Louis

Owner: KIPP St. Louis

Allocatee: MBS-UI Sub-CDE 38, LLC

NMTC Equity Investor: U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation

Leverage Lender: KIPP St. Louis Facilities Fund

Direct Lender: The Fund for KIPP St. Louis

Projected Construction Jobs: 45 FTEs

Projected Permanent Jobs: 50 FTEs at full scale, plus contracted services