Stay informed on what’s happening in Missouri’s Charter Schools with the Missouri Charter School Association’s Quarterly Newsletter!
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The purpose of the
Missouri Charter Public School Association (MCPSA)
is to ensure all families in Missouri have equitable access to high-quality schools where students can thrive. As the voice of the state’s charter school community, we provide ongoing support to schools, advocate for supportive public policies, and inform the public about the benefits of a charter school model. |
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Organizational Updates
By Noah Devine
Special Education – New Service Announcement!
The MCPSA board of directors recently approved expansion of member services to include special education, responding to consistent demand from charter schools for both service delivery and compliance support. The proposed approach builds on an existing
Special Education Cooperative model
(est. 2021), which facilitates cost-effective service sharing among public charter schools.
This expansion would include hiring a full-time coordinator, who will start July 1, 2026, to identify service gaps, broker partnerships, and support shared staffing agreements across schools. This model aims to reduce costs, improve service access, and enable more students to receive services within their school of choice while strengthening inter-school collaboration.
Initial implementation is planned for the 2026–27 school year. We are already collective key information and interest for shared services for both cities. If you, or your special education coordinator/relevant staff member, can fill this out if you are in
STL
or this out if you are in
KC
, that would be great! We will also share these with the relevant staff! During the April and May leader meetings, this support and service will be a key area of discussion!
Charter School Enrollment and Public Opinion
Missouri families continue to clearly demonstrate, both in their choices and their voices, that they want access to charter schools.
From 2013–14 to 2025–26, charter enrollment grew by more than 36%, adding over 7,000 students, even as overall public-school enrollment declined statewide.
Public opinion data reinforces this trend.
A majority of Missourians support allowing charter schools to operate statewide
, with 57% expressing support (including 23% who strongly support), compared to just 23% who oppose. Support spans political parties, income levels, and regions, with particularly strong backing among Black respondents and low-income communities.
This alignment between behavior and opinion is striking. In Kansas City and St. Louis, nearly half of all public-school students now attend charter schools, with even higher participation in key grade levels like middle school.
Together, the data tells a consistent story: Missouri families are not only choosing charter schools in growing numbers, but they are also expressing clear support for expanding access. Charter schools are meeting family needs and have become an increasingly central part of the state’s public education system.
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Communications
By Grace Harmon
Things continue to be busy in Communications as we work to share clear, accessible information about public charter schools, what they are, and what they are not. Our marketing strategy remains focused on education and awareness and has seen success across St. Louis, Kansas City, and Boone County. More people than ever are enrolling in public charter schools, and public perception continues to trend more favorable.
At the start of the legislative session, the Communications team supported the development of materials for legislators and hand delivered them to offices in Jefferson City. These packets included FAQs, district-specific data, and key facts to support informed decision making.
The Communications Community of Practice continues to be a highlight, bringing together school communications professionals for development and connection. We look forward to launching our final campaign of the 2025–26 school year, “
My Charter School Has Educators Who Are Highly Trained and Effective
,” and to continuing to elevate a collective voice around the impact and value of charter schools.
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Member Services & Federal Programs
By Gloria Howell
Member Services and Federal Programs continues to support LEAs in finance, compliance, and student-centered initiatives, with a focus on clear guidance, capacity building, and collaboration. MCPSA hosted WADA Finance Workshops in Kansas City and St. Louis to help LEAs prepare for the 2026–2027 school year, providing guidance on funding calculations, DESE tools, and budget planning to strengthen financial projections.
The St. Louis McKinney-Vento Transportation Cooperative will continue into its next phase, building on early implementation and participation. This initiative is designed to ensure safe, reliable transportation for students experiencing housing instability, strengthen coordination across LEAs, and improve cost efficiency through a shared service model. We are expanding this model to Kansas City to support a more coordinated regional approach.
MCPSA also continues its partnership with Avenue of Life on the Full Impact Model (Impact KCMO), connecting families to housing and support services. Early progress includes 57 partners engaged, 26 households referred, and multiple families supported through transitional and stable housing, helping LEAs meet McKinney-Vento requirements while addressing non-academic barriers to student success.
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Data & Research
By Jose Sotelo
It’s been a productive few months on the data front. We worked on an analysis of two years of Charter School Staff Knowledge Survey data, producing an overall report, an open-ended response analysis, and a comparison report that allows each school to see how they are doing.
On the assessment side, we are working on an updated proficiency analysis combining 2024 and 2025 results, with comparisons across charter schools, district schools, and statewide performance in both regions. There’s plenty more in the works, and we look forward to sharing what’s next!
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Some Highlights From the Quarter
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Celebrating Women’s History Month
In March, we celebrated Women’s History Month by highlighting the extraordinary women behind Missouri’s public charter schools. From school leaders and executive directors to CEOs and staff, these women make our schools thrive every day.
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Annual Staff Survey
As a membership organization, we want our schools’ staff to feel confident explaining what a charter school is and the unique opportunities they offer. The staff doing this work every day are our strongest advocates.
One year after our first internal staff survey, we reissued it and saw continued growth in understanding, especially that charter schools are free and tuition-free, with an increase of 8.1 points. Confidence in explaining charter differences increased, and more staff reported receiving enough training, up 9.8 points.
Congratulations to
Scuola Vita Nuova
and
Gordon Parks
for having the highest percentage of staff complete the survey. Their schools won gift cards to raffle off as a prize for this year’s participation.
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Board Spotlight
Get to Know MCPSA Board Member Dr. Candice Carter-Oliver
Q&A With Dr. Carter-Oliver
- School and role:
CEO of Confluence Academies; the largest charter school system in the city of St. Louis
- Favorite food:
I don’t have a favorite food, but enjoy eating healthy meals and snacks.
- What you’re currently reading, watching, or listening to: I am currently reading, “Nothing Changes Until You Do” by Mike Robbins and writing in “The High 5 Daily Journal” which is my place to capture gratitude in written form.
- What you did before your current role:
Prior to serving as CEO, I taught 4, 5, 6 grades. I’ve also had the roles of instructional coach, elementary principal, and assistant superintendent.
- Why you joined the MCPSA Board:
I joined the MCPSA Board to work alongside other leaders who aim to have a direct impact upon students, families, and staff who attend public charter schools by creating and maintaining policies, practices, and support systems that drive action rooted in purpose.
- What excites you most about the future of MCPSA:
I am excited about a strong strategic plan of action that ensures children and families of charter schools are served with educational experiences that result in positive futures.
- Fun fact:
I enjoy heated yoga. I have twin sons and a college-age daughter who attends the University of Missouri-Columbia.
- Favorite weekend activity:
Outdoor activities (walking and riding a bike), going to parks, and listening to select podcasts.
- Early bird or night owl:
An early bird…I awaken at 4:30 am for daily exercise, reading, and reflection.
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Student Spotlight
Get to Know Scuola Vita Nuova Student Jaxson Portillo
Meet Jaxson, an 8th grader at Scuola Vita Nuova, and take a minute to watch his video interview to learn more about him.
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SAVE the DATE for the 2026 Missouri Charter School Conference on October 8th and 9th at the InterContinental Kansas City at the Plaza, an elegant venue befitting what promises to be our most ambitious gathering yet. Building on the momentum of last year’s sold-out event, this year’s conference will welcome more than 500 classroom educators, school leaders, and education professionals for a dynamic experience centered on our theme:
Inspiration, Innovation, and Implementation
.
We’re excited to announce
Dr. John W. Hodge
as our Friday keynote speaker. Dr. Hodge is president and co-founder of the Urban Learning and Leadership Center (ULLC) and a nationally recognized educator with 28 years of experience supporting student achievement and equity in hundreds of school districts across the U.S. and beyond.
This conference is intentionally designed with something for everyone, from executive leaders and administrative directors to support staff and classroom educators. We are currently accepting breakout session proposals and encourage educators and leaders to submit ideas that highlight innovation, effective implementation, and inspiring practices. We know the most powerful ideas and proven practices are already happening in our classrooms and communities, and this conference is an opportunity to share that expertise with peers across the state.
You can learn more about presenting and submit a proposal here:
Be A Presenter
.
Registration is now open, with
early bird pricing available for a limited time
.
Spots are filling quickly, so be sure to secure your place today:
Conference Registration
.
With record interest already building, the 2026 conference promises to be an energizing and impactful experience you won’t want to miss.
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What We’re Reading & Watching
Check out some of the local and national happenings that keeping track of:
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Stay informed
Follow us on social media for the latest news and events from MCPSA!
- Following our social media pages (linked below)
- Liking and resharing MCPSA’s content
- Tagging MCPSA on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn
You can also visit our
website
or
landing page
to learn more.
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Thanks for Reading…
And remember:
Charter schools
are still tuition-free, still public, still misunderstood.
Keep spreading the word.
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