State Board Approves Renewal for Seven Missouri Charter Schools

02/17/15

Based on compliance with the approval process, the State Board has authorized seven charter schools in Missouri to continue operations. The charter schools are located in St. Louis and Kansas City:

  • Gateway Science Academy, St. Louis – sponsored by Lindenwood University; serves 1,172 K-11 students on four campuses.
  • Carondelet Leadership Academy, St. Louis – sponsored by the University of Missouri-Columbia; serves 428 K-8 students at one campus.
  • University Academy, Kansas City – sponsored by the University of Missouri-Kansas City; serves 1,001 K-12 students on three campuses.
  • Pathway Academy, Kansas City – sponsored by the University of Missouri-Kansas City; Serves 436 K-6 students at one campus.
  • Genesis School Inc., Kansas City – sponsored by the University of Missouri-Kansas City; serves 269 K-8 students at one campus.
  • DeLaSalle Charter School, Kansas City – sponsored by the University of Missouri-Kansas City; serves 299 9th-12th grade students at one campus. Approval includes a requirement for sponsor monitoring of academic performance.
  • Grand Center Arts Academy, St. Louis – sponsored by Saint Louis University; serves 677 6th-11th grade students on 2 campuses. Approval includes a requirement for sponsor monitoring of financial stability.

The authorization for continued operation is effective for five years. Charter sponsors approve the applications and bring them to the State Board in conjunction with the charter leadership.

Charter schools are independent public schools charged with preparing children for success after high school. Annual performance reports are generated for each charter school to allow the public to know how the school is performing academically. Ensuring that all Missouri students graduate ready for college and career is a primary goal of the Top 10 by 20 initiative, which aims for Missouri’s student achievement to rank among the top 10 states by 2020.