The Missouri State Board of Education approved an application from Frontier Schools to open the first charter school in Columbia in fall 2027.
It's the first charter school approved to open in Columbia by state education officials after former Gov. Mike Parsons signed a law in 2024 that authorized the expansion of charter schools into Boone County.
"We are honored by the State Board of Education's approval and excited to join the Columbia community," Frontier Schools Superintendent Ugur Demircan said in a statement. "Frontier Schools is committed to expanding high-quality educational opportunities through a proven, student-centered model that emphasizes academic excellence, innovation, and strong support for every learner."
St. Louis-area state school board member Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge was the only vote against the proposal.
Columbia Public Schools, which is the fourth-largest public school district in Missouri and serves about 18,800 students, has vocally pushed back against Frontier Schools' application to expand charter schools in its district.
District officials sent a letter on April 6 to state school board members requesting they deny the application, claiming that Frontier Schools did not engage the community and that the school system does not fulfill a need for high-performing schools in the city. The state ranked Columbia's in the top 15% of all public school districts in Missouri.
In December, Columbia Public Schools sued the State of Missouri claiming the 2024 law was unconstitutional because it specifically targeted Boone County for charter school expansion because of its population requirements.
"Our district is firmly committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring all decisions impacting students, families, and the community are made through lawful procedures. The integrity of the process matters, and adherence to statutory requirements is not optional. Columbia Public Schools will continue to fight against the unlawful expansion of charter schools into Boone County," said a spokeswoman for the school district in a statement on Tuesday.
Charter schools receive public funding but are governed by nonprofit boards and can at times have enrollment restrictions. They currently operate in St. Louis, Kansas City and two St. Louis County school districts: Normandy Schools Collaborative and Riverview Gardens.
Frontier Schools was established in 2007 and operates four charter schools in Kansas City with an enrollment of about 1,600 students. Frontier scored 93% on its state annual performance evaluations. Columbia Public Schools earned 89%.
Demircan will serve as the executive director over both campuses, in Kansas City and Columbia.
Frontier STEM Academy will be an elementary school serving prekindergarten to second grade students, sponsored by St. Louis University.
Projected enrollment is 184 students, according to a sponsorship letter sent by Alexandra Boyd, assistant dean of school and community partnerships at SLU, to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The school ultimately plans to expand to fifth grade with an overall enrollment of over 580 by the 2030-31 school year.
SLU sponsors other charter schools in St. Louis including the Biome School and City Garden Montessori.
Frontier STEM Academy received $2 million from the federal Charter Schools Program administered by the U.S. Department of Education "to support early planning and implementation, helping ensure the new school is well-resourced as it builds partnerships with families and the community," according to a press release from the Missouri Charter Public School Association.
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