St. Louis will get four new charters, including another KIPP and a private school that turned charter so families would no longer pay tuition. A charter plagued with financial mismanagement and suspicion of inflated enrollment will close.
Kairos Academies is enrolling sixth-graders for its personalized learning-themed middle and high school opening in the Marine Villa neighborhood. It’s the only entirely new school opening in August. Founders Gavin Schiffres and Jack Krewson are Teach For America alumni who taught briefly in north St. Louis County districts. Krewson is the son of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson.
St. Louis College Prep closed in May after it wound up in financial trouble mid-year following revelations of possible attendance inflation by its founder and executive director. Lafayette Preparatory Academy, a nearby elementary school, tried to step in and purchase the building to add its own high school. The deal to purchase the building fell through and plans for a high school have been postponed, according to Susan Marino, Lafayette Prep’s executive director.
The Soulard School, which had been a private school in south St. Louis, is converting to a charter school this fall.
Creative destruction continues to roil St.Louis, aided by TFA.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
One of the new charter schools is co-founded by the mayor’s son. For more details and context for what’s happening to public schools in St. Louis, read my latest report here: https://www.salon.com/2019/06/29/why-many-school-districts-are-being-set-up-for-fiscal-failure_partner/
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“benevolent” charter schools being pushed as secret financial boons: what could go wrong
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St. Louis has a long history of racial unrest in the city. Marginalization of black citizens creates a climate for the acceptance of separate and unequal private charter schools. Expansion of charters does not signal a sign of better things to come. It signals that the powers that be do not want to invest in public education. What we know about charters is they will always seek a greater ‘share of the market.’ We also know that charters undermine the local community, and a real estate grab is often part of the deal.
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St. Louis: Four New PRIVATE Charter Schools, One PRIVATE Charter Closes
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St. Louis Charters?
Not Successful
Over half of charter schools in St. Louis have (been) shut down since 2000
*A few “independent” (aka established by individuals on a mission vs. franchise) are good; majority however, test scores far below state average.
New Law went nowhere
2019 Missouri Legislature had heavy handed, charter advocacy bills went nowhere in House and Senate. Various reasons – some non-charter related – but still – went nowhere. They would have allowed charters across state, not only in cities. Those denied application or losing charter could appeal to… a charter commission led by charter advocates…
Still – major education needs to occur about who and what is behind charters nationally. Missouri WAS ripe for the dark money privatization movement (even though most in MO – yes, even red state MO – do not want outsiders telling them what to do).
However… take a look at KC…
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