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Mo. Baptist University to relinquish sponsorship of St. Louis charter schools

(via Flickr/alkruse24)

Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says Missouri Baptist University will relinquish its sponsorship of four charter school systems in St. Louis.

The university’s sponsorship included six schools with the Imagine Academies that had come under fire for poor student performance and deficit spending.

A statement from DESE said Commissioner of Education Chris L. Nicastro will recommend that the State Board of Education accept the agreement during the Board's regular meeting next month.

A hearing had been planned to before the State Board about Missouri Baptist University’s authority to sponsor charters, but the university has agreed to waive the hearing.

Missouri Baptist University also agreed it will not apply for sponsorship of any charter school for at least five years.

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Maria is the newscast, business and education editor for St. Louis Public Radio.