JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.—Believe STL Academy won approval from the Missouri State Board of Education to become St. Louis’ next charter school, but not before much discussion over the future of them in the state. 

What You Need To Know

  • Believe STL Academy won approval from the Missouri State Board of Education to become St. Louis’ next charter school

  • Believe STL went before the state board for a second time Tuesday, resubmitting its application after the St. Louis Public School (SLPS) Board of Education sued claiming the charter school did not provide “timely notice of the application” to open in fall 2024

  • Board member Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge said she would not be approving any new charter schools in the St. Louis area until there is a citywide plan that includes input from all stakeholders
  • There was also discussion about considering legislative changes regarding the charter statute. Westbrooks-Hodges explained the way the law is written, once the charter application is approved and all the criteria are met, the taxpayers who live in the community don’t have to approve the school 

Believe STL went before the state board for a second time Tuesday, resubmitting its application after the St. Louis Public School (SLPS) Board of Education sued claiming the charter school did not provide “timely notice of the application” to open in fall 2024. 

Before the vote, board member Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge expressed her concerns about more charter schools opening in St. Louis. 

“My bigger, broader, most pressing concern is that the city of St. Louis is shrinking and at the same time the City of St. Louis is shrinking, we also need high-quality education options, so somehow we need to balance the need for quality with the fact that our tax base is evaporating,” said Westbrooks-Hodge.

She told Kimberly Neal-Brannum, the school’s founder, and her fellow board members that she would not be approving any new charter schools in the St. Louis area until there is a citywide plan that includes input from all stakeholders. 

Earlier this year, SLPS says the St. Louis Board of Aldermen and the city Board of Education passed resolutions calling for a moratorium on any new schools in the city until an all-encompassing “Citywide Plan” can be instituted. 

The committee developing that plan suggested reducing the number of school and school operations. 

The SLPS Board cited a decreasing population and enrollment numbers as part of its objection to Believe STL’s application

"Because right now we are not being morally or fiscally responsible by approving schools on one day and then three others are closing and the population is shirking,” said Westbrooks-Hodge.

There was also discussion about considering legislative changes regarding the charter statute. 

Westbrooks-Hodges explained the way the law is written, once the charter application is approved and all the criteria are met, the taxpayers who live in the community don’t have to approve the school. 

“We don't do that in a rural community and we don't do that in affluent suburban communities. And if charter schools are great levelers for everyone, they should be applicable to everyone, but that is not what we've got,” expressed Westbrook-Hodges. 

A few board members agreed the legislation should be reviewed while another pointed out there is local control of education in the state, but the statute isn’t “necessarily allowing for local input.”

Board member Kerry Casey commented while the points Westbrooks-Hodges are important, it would be years before they could do anything to affect change. 

“We just cannot afford to not address the needs of the children today,” said Casey. 

Believe STL did meet all the statutory requirements during the second application process. Spectrum News has reached out to the school for comment and is waiting for a reply.

SLPS would not comment on the board’s decision citing pending litigation.