Friday, April 13, 2012

Missouri's Senate votes to expand charter schools

On Wednesday, April 11, the Senate gave preliminary approval to a bill expanding charter schools throughout the state. Currently, charter schools are only allowed in St. Louis City and Kansas City.

The difference between metropolitan, suburban and rural districts has been central to education policy issues such as regulation of charter schools, school funding and allowing students to transfer from unaccredited districts.

Democratic Sen. Maria Chapelle-Nadal represents a St. Louis County district that stretches from University City to Hazelwood. She spoke against the bill in question saying that, while several St. Louis city senators were in favor of the legislation, it would negatively impact her district.

"St. Louis city school district is nothing like the University City school district," Chapelle-Nadal said. She said her constituents would be against using their tax money to fund charter schools.

During an exchange with a fellow Democrat, Sen. Joseph Keaveny from St. Louis City, she spoke about how the population shifts out of the city have impacted the county districts. Keaveny was in favor of expanding charter schools, saying that it's important to keep people in the city by offering more options.

"We lost a significant number of young families because of the quality of education," Keaveny said. "Charter schools have kept people in the city."

Meanwhile, legislation to deal with inequities in the state's school funding formula are stagnating in the legislature.

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