Mo. to control St. Louis schools for additional 3 years

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The state Board of Education has voted to extend its control over St. Louis public schools for an additional three years and to suspend a struggling charter school.

The action Thursday means Missouri's largest school district will remain under state supervision until June 30, 2011.

The state took over the district a year ago because of academic and financial problems.

Last year, the state also approved "The Can! Academies of St. Louis" -- a charter school for high school dropouts.

But Thursday, the state board voted to suspend operation of the charter school because of what one official described as a chaotic atmosphere for students and staff.