The Opportunity Trust

The first round of money will bolster the development and expansion of charter schools in St. Louis, including adding various college preparation programs and more.

Public school enrollment is relatively flat this year, compared to last year. But it is still down from recent years, and experts say more decline is likely coming.

Community members, educators and activists in north St. Louis are protesting the opening of Believe St. Louis Academy — a charter school supported by Opportunity Trust. They say opening charter schools reduces funding from St. Louis Public Schools and leads to further teacher layoffs.

The board says it was not given proper notice in the charter school’s application process.

But providers say more money alone won’t solve access issues that many families face.

The Leadership School’s opening was delayed by multiple years, but on Monday students will begin class for the first time

The Leadership School will will open in north St. Louis County this August with about 120 students in kindergarten through second grade and plans to have 450 students through the eighth grade in six years. Elected officials in the Normandy area worry that the charter school will take students and funding from public schools.

The Opportunity Trust says it wants to improve public education in St. Louis. But its doubters say it has bigger plans it’s not being transparent about.

Almost three dozen schools in the St. Louis area will track their students’ social-emotional health from the start of the upcoming school year to the end.…