Charter Schools

Jared Leppert, a graduate student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, conducts a learning test with a student at St. Louis College Prep on Monday, May 8, 2017. The charter school hired Leppert as an intern.

Education

Charter school sponsorship not always seen as higher education’s higher calling

Ryan Delaney

Missouri lawmakers assigned higher education institutions primary oversight of charter schools when authorizing them 20 years ago. Universities know a…

Education

An in-depth look at Missouri's charter schools

Trish Nguyen works on a graph in a second-grade class at Confluence Academy South City on April 28, 2017.

Education

For St. Louis charter schools, success is in the eye of the beholder

Gateway Science Academy wants families to be satisfied. City Garden Montessori is aiming for racial equity. Neither are unique goals for charter schools…

Students working in a classroom of Gateway Science Academy in April 2017.

Education

Charter School 101: The Basics

Ryan Delaney

It’s been nearly 20 years since charter schools took root in Missouri, bringing independently operated but publicly funded education to St. Louis and…

Government, Politics & Issues

Crunch time: What Missouri lawmakers are likely to accomplish in final 2 weeks

Marshall Griffin

Updated 6 p.m. April 28 to correct that Missouri would be among the only states with an abortion notification law — The only thing Missouri lawmakers must…

Preclarus Mastery Academy, located inside Third Baptist Church, has 200 students enrolled in the 2016-2017 school year.

Education

St. Louis charter school Preclarus granted reprieve by UMSL to stay open

A small charter school in St. Louis’ Grand Center district will stay open next year after all. The University of Missouri-St. Louis has overruled its…

Government, Politics & Issues

Charter school legislation progressing in Jefferson City

Marshall Griffin

Updated March 16, 2017 -- The Missouri House has passed legislation to expand charter schools beyond St. Louis and Kansas City.The House proposal (HB 634)…

Education

Missouri board of education critical of St. Louis’ largest charter network, still reauthorizes it

Ryan Delaney

Updated 9:40 a.m. — This story and the accompanying photo have been corrected to reflect the charter sponsors of the Confluence Academy network.Missouri’s…

Government, Politics & Issues

New governor, new momentum for Missouri charter school and school choice advocates

Ryan Delaney

Of the hundreds of education bills Missouri lawmakers have filed this session, charter school expansion has the best chance of passing. Not only is…

Eric Mitchell picks up his daugther Keyannah and son Kobe after school on Jan. 11, 2017. Both children are in fourth grade at Preclarus Mastery Academy.

Education

Now that St. Louis Public Schools are fully accredited, will more parents choose the district?

As the St. Louis public school district emerges from the long shadow cast by 16 years of failing to measure up to state standards, it joins the ranks of…