Troubled St. Louis-area district refuses potential help from charter school
A shrinking St. Louis-area school district that ranks among the state’s worst wants to solve its own problems instead of partnering with a proposed charter school, possibly viewing it as a…

A shrinking St. Louis-area school district that ranks among the state’s worst wants to solve its own problems instead of partnering with a proposed charter school, possibly viewing it as a threat.
The Riverview Gardens School Board voted 3-1 last week against having its superintendent meet with representatives of the proposed North County Innovative School, which is planning to open in the district. Three board members abstained from the vote following a short debate but did not say why.
At issue is whether the charter school could help or harm the district, which faces declining enrollment, massive budget cuts and academic performance so poor the state stripped its accreditation in 2010 and mandated increased oversight until 2023.
It’s since earned provisional accreditation but academic progress still lags: three of its nine elementary schools still score in the bottom 5% of the state.

Riverview is currently studying whether to close one or more of its buildings, several of which are being used at less than half capacity, and the district must eliminate an estimated $25 million from its $100 million budget over the next three years, a herculean task that will likely include staff and building cuts.
Some of the shortage is from the loss of COVID-19 funds, which propped up many school districts but have now expired, as well as enrollment declines. The district is expected to have less than 4,400 students in 2035, down from 5,100 in 2022 and the current enrollment of 4,983.

State law allows charters to open in districts that lack full accreditation, and so Denitria Neil, who formerly worked at The Leadership School, a charter in the nearby Normandy School District, told the board about her vision to open North County to provide support and educational options for students.
The school will use therapies such as counseling and a wholistic approach to help students excel in STREAM – or science, technology, reading, engineering, (performing) arts and math – Neil said.
She wanted to partner with Riverview to boost enrollment, add revenue through building rental and share transportation and professional development costs and improve the district’s reputation by providing a new option.
“I wanted to go into this as a collaboration, working together as opposed to working separately,” Neil told The Lion. “Right now they’re talking about declining enrollment. If you add an educational option into the district under the district portfolio that could invite new families that are looking for something different.”
However, most of the board didn’t even want to consider meeting with Neil.
“We (are) not interested in entertaining a motion to sponsor any charter school in our area,” said board President Dr. Niketia Coleman. “We are convinced that Riverview is the best choice.”
Coleman cited fears about the school potentially attracting too many students from Riverview, causing the school district to implode.
“What happens to our property values? What happens to our community?” Coleman asked. “And if we have made these gains thus far, there’s no reason that we cannot continue to make those gains” academically.
But Dr. Miranda Avant-Elliott, who cast the lone “yes” vote to have the superintendent meet with North County, said parents choose charters because they want choices.
“If we are not meeting the needs of children in some type of way and another program does, we can partner with them. This (meeting) is our opportunity to explore what that partnership can be.”
Neil said she would respect the board’s vote, but hoped they’d reconsider. She also said she was moving ahead with the process to start the school, which is planned to open in the fall of 2026 with grades K-2, eventually expanding to K-8.