This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, April 22, 2011 - The Special Administrative Board that runs the St. Louis Public Schools was all set to debate a budget that included the closing of three schools and the likely reduction of teachers and other staff members.
Letters went out to those involved in the three targeted schools -- Stevens Middle School, Bunche Middle School and Big Picture High School -- and teachers' union representatives were ready to speak out about the possible layoffs.
Then Superintendent Kelvin Adams told the assembled crowd at school system headquarters Thursday night that the whole process was postponed.
Why? Adams said he had received some last-minute information about what money may be available from Jefferson City for the city schools, and he wanted to make sure he used the best possible data to make the decisions. He also wanted to make sure that everyone who might be affected has a chance to speak up about the budget.
"We have not done this as much as we should do in this case," Adams said about the collaboration with various groups in the district.
At issue is how much money the city schools will get from the $189 million in federal funds that the Missouri legislature has agreed to accept for schools throughout the state. Adams believes the city will be getting $6.3 million, but he is not yet sure how much of that might be for the current school year and how much would be for the year that starts in July.
Overall, the city schools project they will receive about $56.3 million from the state in 2011-12, down from $63.1 million in the current year.
The Missouri Senate passed its version of the state's $23.2 billion budget late Wednesday. It now must be reconciled with the House version of the budget.
Adams said the school system's budget does not have to be completed until June 30; the district has until June 2 to notify staff of possible layoffs.
Prior to Adams' last-minute announcement that the budget discussion would be delayed -- perhaps until next week, perhaps until a meeting May 5 -- school officials had already sent letters out to those who would be affected by the planned closings. Though school operations would be shutting down if the plan is approved, their buildings would remain open because all three currently have other functions: Stevens hosts an alternative school, Bunche is located inside Soldan High School and Big Picture is located inside Northwest High School.
District officials had also announced several other moves, which now may or may not occur with approval of the budget:
- The re-opening of Humboldt School for 3rd and 4th graders coming out of Stix and Wilkinson Early Childhood Centers.
- The re-opening of Meda P. Washington, Madison and Des Peres for Adams' Multiple Pathways academic initiatives.
- Conversion of Cole Elementary School to an African-centered curriculum school.
- Conversion of Yeatman Middle and Woerner Elementary to schools where boys and girls will be separated within the building.
- Conversion of Sumner High into a district-sponsored charter school in 2012-13.
After the meeting, Rick Sullivan, head of the SAB, said he agreed with delaying consideration of the budget because it was important that the best available information be shared with as many people as possible.
"In my view," Sullivan said, "Dr. Adams has done an outstanding job of making sure all interested parties are aware, are informed and at the table, internally and externally.
"As more information became available today, we needed to take it into account. I really respect the process that Dr. Adams has been in charge of."
Adams had stressed that the buildings where the closed schools are located would remain open because of problems reported recently with vandalism in abandoned buildings. At the SAB meeting, Roger CayCe, director of operations for the district, spelled out stricter security measures for buildings no longer in use, including more patrols and removal of valuable materials like stained glass windows and brass or copper fixtures.
"We're trying everything in our power to discourage vandalism," CayCe said.
The SAB met several hours after Mayor Francis Slay announced that three new charter schools would be opening in the city this fall:
- Jamaa Learning Center will open at 2900 N. Prairie for grades K-8. A new building will be constructed at 4400 St. Louis Ave. It will open for grades kindergarten, three and six in 2011 and plans to add three grades each year.
- Preclarus Mastery Academy will open at 625 North Euclid Ave. for grades 5-12. It is currently enrolling for fifth and sixth grades and plans to add a grade each year.
- South City Prep will open at 2900 S. Grand Blvd. for grades 5-12. It is currently enrolling for fifth and sixth grades and will add a grade each year.
Slay noted that the three new schools would bring to 12 the number of charter schools that have opened in the city since his office began a screening process of applicants four years ago. By this fall, 10,000 students are expected to be enrolled in charters in St. Louis.
Currently, Missouri allows charters only in St. Louis and Kansas City, though various bills being considered by the legislature would change that situation.
The mayor also pointed out that the latest census figures said that the city has lost 22,000 children of school age -- 75 percent of its total population loss. Without good schools, he said, "too many of our families are forced to leave neighborhoods they love."
Asked what effect the new charter schools would have on the city school system, Adams replied simply, "I am for high-quality schools."