KINDER CALLS FOR SEMO TO CHARTER SCHOOLS

Southeast Missouri State University could sponsor charter schools in St. Louis and break the education establishment's "Berlin Wall" of opposition to such schools, says state Sen. Peter Kinder.

The Cape Girardeau Republican sponsored an amendment to a House bill this spring that passed the Legislature and was signed into law by the governor. It allows Southeast to charter elementary and secondary schools in St. Louis.

Charter schools are public schools that are freed from many of the regulations that govern regular public schools. Such schools are granted charters to operate.

A 1998 law provided for charter schools in St. Louis and Kansas City. In St. Louis, schools could be chartered by the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Harris-Stowe State College, the St. Louis Community College system or the St. Louis Board of Education.

But no charter schools have been established in St. Louis. Kinder said Tuesday that the St. Louis school board and education leaders there have opposed the concept of charter schools. The St. Louis school board has even filed a lawsuit contending the charter school law is unconstitutional because it doesn't apply to the whole state. Kinder said his amendment, which took effect in August, is designed to help get charter schools established in St. Louis.

He suggested Southeast could follow in the footsteps of Central Missouri State University at Warrensburg. That school has chartered 11 of the 15 charter schools operating in Kansas City.

The charter schools in Kansas City have a combined enrollment of 4,000 students."Officials at CMSU at Warrensburg have seen this as a magnificent opportunity for urban education," Kinder said.

Southeast officials are looking at the idea but haven't made any decision. "We are going to be exploring it," said Art Wallhausen, assistant to the president at Southeast.

Kinder and state Sen. Steve Ehlmann, R-St. Charles, are scheduled to hold a news conference today in St. Louis to urge the development of charter schools in St. Louis.

Kinder and two officials of the non-profit Charter Schools Information Center met with Southeast officials two weeks ago."We have told them that we would be very happy to work with them," said Laura Friedman, director of the non-profit St. Louis group that advocates charter schools.

Friedman said university officials seemed receptive to the idea. St. Louis is in Southeast's service area.

Southeast has a strong teacher-education program, which could benefit from sponsoring charter schools, she said. The university also could boost its enrollment by having ties to charter high schools, Friedman said.

Kinder said he would like to see charter schools operating in St. Louis by fall 2000."This is an enormous opportunity for Southeast," said Kinder. He said groups such as the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Missouri Historical Society have expressed interest in participating in charter schools.

Kinder said charter schools offer a "beacon of hope" for St. Louis city school children stuck in a failed public-school system.

Friedman said she expects Southeast's Board of Regents will be asked to approve a charter school in St. Louis.

The regents would have 60 days to review the application and make a decision. If the board denies an application, it must explain its decision in writing."The role of the sponsor is to ensure accountability of the schools," said Dave Camden, assistant director of the Charter Schools center.

The university doesn't have to fund charter schools or handle day-to-day operations. "They do have broad oversight responsibilities to make sure that the school is financially and academically responsible," he said.