Application for Boone County charter school refiled, DESE recommends allowing school to start in 2027
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A charter school looking to operate in Boone County has refiled its application.
An item on the Missouri Board of Education’s April meeting agenda says Frontier Schools are looking for the state to approve its application for a STEM academy in Columbia. Saint Louis University had pulled its application in January after receiving guidance from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
DESE is recommending that the state’s Board of Education to Authorize Frontier STEM Academy-Elementary to operate for five years, beginning with the 2027-28 school year.
Columbia Public Schools had filed a lawsuit in December, claiming the establishment of charter schools is unconstitutional and had asked the state board to oppose Frontier. The lawsuit was paused after Saint Louis University rescinded its application. An entry of appearance was last filed on Mach 13.
Previous reporting shows CPS argues the state’s Republican-led legislature purposely targeted Boone County for the expansion of charter schools through Senate Bill 727, which was signed by Gov. Mike Parson in May 2024.
While SB 727 does not specifically name Boone County, a rule in it mentions that charter schools may be operated only in counties “between 150,000 and 200,000 inhabitants.” Census data indicates Boone is the only county matching this description.