St. Louis County’s first charter school opening next fall

NORMANDY, Mo. (AP) — St. Louis County’s first charter school is expected to open next fall after reluctant approval from Missouri education leaders.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Leadership School in Normandy will be Missouri’s first charter school outside of St. Louis or Kansas City. The school is expected to open with 12 students in kindergarten through second grade and eventually grow to 450 students through eighth grade.

Members of the Missouri school board on Thursday expressed frustration with their lack of power to deny the school as long as it meets state requirements. But the school’s director says families in Normandy deserve a choice in public schools.