KINDER CALLS FOR COLLEGE TO SPONSOR CHARTER SCHOOLS

The University of Missouri-St. Louis and other public colleges in the state can afford to sponsor charter schools, says state Sen. Peter Kinder.

The Cape Girardeau Republican is dismayed that colleges in the St. Louis area haven't jumped on board the charter-school bandwagon. "I am a little disappointed," he said.

No charter schools operate in St. Louis. The University of Missouri-St. Louis refuses to consider charter-school applications.

"I regard this as open defiance of the law," said Kinder, a staunch supporter of charter schools.

A 1998 state law allows for charter schools in Kansas City and St. Louis. The law allows public colleges in those areas to sponsor charter schools for elementary- and high-school-age students.

Last year Kinder succeeded in amending state law to expand the list of possible sponsors to include Southeast Missouri State University. Southeast hasn't received any charter-school applications.

Last month UMSL's administration refused to review a charter application for the proposed Thurgood Marshall Academy in St. Louis. In a Dec. 23 letter, UMSL Chancellor Blanche Touhill explained the university's decision.

"At present, Missouri law provides no financial resources for sponsors to conduct either the evaluations of charter-school applications or the subsequent reviews of charter-school performance," she wrote. "Because of the costs associated with the approval and monitoring of charter schools, we have reluctantly decided that we will not sponsor any additional charter schools under the current legislation," the chancellor said.

The university's action prompted criticism Monday from state Sen. Steve Ehlmann, R-St. Charles. He introduced a remonstrance resolution that accuses UMSL of acting "selfishly and irresponsibly in ignoring the will of the General Assembly as expressed in the statutes, the plight of schoolchildren in a failing urban district."

The measure states that UMSL received state funding of more than $40 million for the 1999-2000 school year and made no request for added funding to process charter-school applications. The resolution was sent to the Senate Rules Committee for consideration.

Kinder said UMSL could afford to handle the costs associated with sponsoring charter schools. The sponsor doesn't fund the operation of the school.

Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg has sponsored a dozen charter schools in Kansas City.

Kinder doesn't think universities should refuse to sponsor charter schools because the state hasn't provided them with added funding. "We appropriate to schools tens of millions of dollars every year," said Kinder. "I don't think it is a huge, gigantic burden being placed on them."

Southeast's administration plans to evaluate any charter-school application it might receive. "The law is the law, and we have to be responsible under the law," said Provost Dennis Holt. "There is only one way to do it, if we have to do it, and that is the right way," he said.

Still, Don Dickerson, president of Southeast's Board of Regents, questions how universities can be expected to sponsor charter schools without added funding.

"They are asking universities to become sponsors, but they don't offer money to pay the administrative costs," he said. "I think that has got to be addressed."

Sen. Ted House, D-St. Charles, has introduced a bill that would allow the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to award grants to colleges that sponsor charter schools. The money would come from the Higher Education Department. The bill also would prohibit school districts from using state funds to challenge the constitutionality of Missouri's charter-schools law.

School districts have been among the biggest critics of charter schools, contending they cut into funding for regular public schools.