By Antonio D. French
Filed Wednesday, September 27 at 9:46 AM
An article in yesterday's St. Louis Schools Watch e-newsletter states that "the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has approved five more charter schools for St. Louis". According to a DESE spokesman, that is not true.
In April, the State Board of Education approved Missouri Baptist University (MBU) as the sponsor of the Ethel Hedgeman Lyle Academy, which had been sponsored by Harris-Stowe University. MBU is a new sponsor, but the school is not a new entity.
Earlier this month, the State Board of Education authorized the opening of a new charter school, the Imagine Academy of Environmental Science and Math, which also will be sponsored by MBU. This school is slated to open in 2007-08.
"There are no other applications for new charter schools pending with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education," wrote Jim Morris, a DESE spokeman, in an email to PUB DEF today. He said he hopes this misunderstanding is corrected so it does not continue to be repeated in the community.
5 Comments:
Hey, how do I sign up for this e-newsletter? I can't find a link anywhere on the site... Thanks.
Thursday, September 28, 2006 8:36:00 AM
E-mail slswatch@speakeasy.net and ask to be included on the address list....Previously, there was a request for a minimal donation upon signing up. Good Luck....
Thursday, September 28, 2006 3:10:00 PM
Thanks!
Friday, September 29, 2006 7:39:00 AM
Does anyone know anything about this "Imagine Academy of Environmental Science and Math" -- who submitted the charter, what grades they'll teach, what sort of curriculum they'll offer, how they're different, etc.????
Friday, September 29, 2006 7:45:00 AM
A quick Google of Imagine Schools (based in Arlington Virginia) comes up with the typical Charter School crap. One of their schools was under criminal investigation for billing for 300 kids when they only had 80 or so. They lost funding for one in Kansas City so the founder is funding it for one year, They were trying to start a Science and Math school for 7th-12th grade. This sounds like it might be the one we are getting here. They are in 9 states, I think, and expandidng to 7 more...
All of this is coming from a quick Google search...I may have some facts wrong but there is a lot more out there if anyone cares to check.
If charter schools are allowed to continue and expand, whatever Public Schools are left will be, in effect, alternative schools.
Sunday, October 01, 2006 7:47:00 AM
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