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Voters in the city of St. Louis will elect three people next month who will serve the city, but with no real authority. That's because they'll serve on the seven-member St. Louis Board of Education, which was stripped of it's authority over the public schools when the struggling district lost accreditation in 2003.

A state-appointed Special Administrative Board controls district policy instead. But the April 2nd election is renewing calls to disband the SAB when it's term expires June, 2014 and return governing authority for the now-accredited district to the elected board.

That would be up to the Missouri state board of education which is expected to consider the question this fall.

Three public schools and more than 130 staff members, including 82 teachers, are facing the budget ax in the cash-strapped St. Louis public school district.

At Wednesday night's school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Kelvin Adams recommended closing Sherman Elementary, L’Ouverture Middle School, and the Cleveland NJROTC Academy. Scores of students and parents attended the meeting in support of the military magnet school.

Adams also proposed increasing class sizes at the remaining schools.

The proposed cuts would trim $14 million from the district's budget.

The Special Administrative Board will vote next month on the recommendations.

District officials will gather feedback on the proposals at two forums this Saturday. The first will be from 10 a.m. to noon at Vashon High School, 3035 Cass Avenue. The second will be from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Central Visual Performing Arts High School, 3125 South Kingshighway.

Residents in the City of St. Louis may learn Wednesday night which public schools are facing closure.

St. Louis Public Schools superintendent Dr. Kelvin Adams has said he will make several proposals at the 6 p.m. meeting of the special administrative board. Among his proposals, Dr. Adams is expected to recommend that some schools close next year and other be phased out as a cost-cutting measure.

Dr. Adams says several factors, including academic performance, would be considered in deciding which, if any, schools would close.

There has been wide-spread speculation that the Cleveland NJROTC Academy would be phased out, accepting no new freshmen after this year.

Wednesday’s Special Administrative Board meeting is at 6:00 p.m. at 801 North 11th Street.