ST. LOUIS — Following the city school board’s lead, St. Louis aldermen on Friday endorsed a proposed ban on any new schools opening in the city until a comprehensive citywide education plan is put together.
The board voted 24-1 for a nonbinding resolution that notes that charter schools and the city public school system have been fighting “over a declining population of children and a shrinking pool of resources.â€
Supporters included Alderman Marlene Davis, a former city school board president, who said charter schools were forced upon the city by the Missouri Legislature.
Any new restrictions on the opening of additional charter facilities also would have to be imposed by state lawmakers.
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“It’s a sin,†said Davis, of the 19th Ward. “We have gone through trauma after trauma†when some charter schools have suddenly closed.
She also complained about the performance of many of them, while acknowledging that there have been a few with adequate or superior records.
“Nobody can tell me that there’s appropriate oversight of these schools,†Davis said.
The resolution also won support from a critic of the city public schools, Alderman Carol Howard, 14th Ward.
“We need a master plan†for all types of schools, said Howard, a retired school principal in the city school system. “We need to all agree — Black, white, whatever — that our children are important.â€
The only “no†vote came from Alderman John Collins-Muhammad, 21st Ward, who said charter schools are needed to supplement public schools.
“We have to ensure that parents have alternatives and options ... because our public school district is failing,†he said. Without those options, he said, “we’re going to continue to see people leave our communities.â€
Alderman Joe Vaccaro, 23rd Ward, also spoke highly of some charter schools, which he said have helped keep residents from moving to the suburbs. In particular, he cited Gateway Science Academy, which has three south side locations, including one in his ward.
Vaccaro added that the resolution would carry little weight with those making decisions about charter schools in Jefferson City.
“Most of the resolutions we send to the governor or up to the state end up in the trash can anyway,†he said. “It’s really no more than a strong letter.â€
Vaccaro said in debate that he planned to nevertheless support the resolution but was absent when the vote was taken near the end of the board’s teleconference meeting.
But others, such as Alderman Shameem Clark Hubbard, 26th Ward, said the board’s vote sends an important message.
After the vote, Joyce Roberts, the city school board president, said school district officials were extremely pleased by the decision by aldermen “to join us in this initiative.â€
“Education and civic leaders are embarking upon a new era of collaboration that will result in better outcomes for all students in the city,†Roberts said in a statement.
The school board passed a similar resolution in February.
Charter schools, which are publicly subsidized but operate independently from school districts, have close to 12,000 students.
Meanwhile, St. Louis Public Schools enrollment dropped below 20,000 last year. The district has lost more than half of its enrollment since the first charter schools opened in the city in 2000.
The average annual performance for local charter schools, which includes factors such as attendance, academic achievement, and high school or college preparedness, was 80% in 2018, the most recent year for which figures are available. The city public schools scored 79%, according to state data.
Of more than 30 charter schools that opened in St. Louis since 2000, about half have been closed following academic or financial problems. Carondelet Leadership Academy was the most recent to close, in June 2020, displacing 400 students and 50 staffers.
Earlier this week, the University of Missouri-St. Louis announced it will not renew its sponsorship of the Arch Community charter school, which operates in a former Lutheran school on Salisbury Street.
The alderman from the area, Brandon Bosley of the 3rd Ward, complained in Friday’s debate about the decision, which could potentially lead to Arch’s closure at the end of the school year.
A city public school a half-mile away shut down several months ago as part of a St. Louis Public Schools downsizing.
Alderman Megan Green, 15th Ward, said a citywide plan would examine how many schools are needed, what types and where they would be located.
“Our schools are cannibalizing each other†now, she said.
The resolution was sponsored by Alderman Jesse Todd, 18th Ward, who was unable to cast a vote in favor when his online connection was interrupted temporarily. Aldermanic President Lewis Reed said he would be listed in records as a “yes†vote, increasing the total to 25.
Blythe Bernhard of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
