A new year brings fresh optimism, and for me, that means hope that Missourians at all levels of leadership can find innovative ways to support students statewide.
There is a very real need for improvement. More tax dollars are going into education, but it’s not yet translating into academic gains. Just over a quarter of fourth-grade students statewide are reading at or above grade level.
We know that our schools are capable of more. There are scores of schools, both traditional district and charter, that are beating the odds and helping students make exceptional growth, regardless of the students’ background. There are not enough of these schools, though – Missouri students and schools are capable of more.
Looking forward, we must lean into new ways of positioning students and educators in place to be successful. For some schools, this means inspecting practice and sharing far and wide what is working and what is not. For some schools, this means embracing AI and leaning into its opportunities and challenges. For other schools, it means rethinking the status quo in the very heart of school – the buildings themselves.
Facilities aren’t typically a hot topic, but accessible, modern, and affordable facilities are critical for schools to operate. In Missouri, we have a quirk where vacant buildings owned by school districts could be repurposed by public charter schools. And yet, with one notable recent exception, this rarely happens. Why not?
Outdated deed restrictions.
In Missouri, school districts frequently do not sell or lease vacant properties to public charter schools. Other states follow a different practice. Nearly 20 states across the U.S. offer public charters a right of first refusal, giving them the chance to buy buildings before they’re listed. Our state can be a leader by repurposing and revitalizing unused public assets for a purpose we can all agree on: providing a high-quality educational experience for our kids.
We have strong proof that when we remove barriers, students benefit. This fall, BELIEVE Academy in St. Louis held a ribbon-cutting for its new 53,000-square-foot school near Barnes-Jewish Hospital (BJH) featuring a state-of-the-art simulation and learning lab. BELIEVE accessed the building thanks to the State Board of Education (SBOE) and Governor Kehoe’s leadership. The building previously housed a state-run school for students with disabilities. With the school closed and the building dormant, the SBOE, the Office of Administration, and the Governor’s team led a public bidding process for the facility. BELIEVE won, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and SBOE facilitated the transfer.
Now in the building, BELIEVE students can choose from six career-immersion pathways in nursing, clinical lab sciences, respiratory care, radiologic technology, surgical-related services, and professional support. These future leaders spend 60% of their time in the classroom and approximately six to 10 hours per week at a local BJC hospital or nursing school, equipping them with the skills and credentials needed to enter the health care workforce. BELIEVE Academy now has the space to double its enrollment because Missouri leaders did what should be common sense: they put an otherwise empty property back into public service.
Unfortunately, BELIEVE is an exception, not the standard. A number of public charters in Kansas City and St. Louis are making the best of non-traditional properties—former office buildings and churches, downtown properties, and even overflow trailers—to meet their needs. Academically, many are excelling, but physically, they are out of space, with dozens of families still on their waitlists. The bottom line? When high-performing schools can’t grow, families lose access to educational opportunities. Even when the space exists, our system is not designed to help our schools access it.
As we look toward 2026, all options should be on the table to improve student performance and to best utilize Missourians’ tax dollars. This outlook starts with the very facilities that house schools. Missouri can—and should—give public charter schools the right of first refusal to purchase or lease unused buildings. Districts closing schools should be able to transfer buildings to charters that will invest in and revitalize properties and neighborhoods. Missouri students’ needs are urgent, and buildings are available. All our public charter schools need is the opportunity to act.
Noah Devine is the executive director of the Missouri Charter Public School Association, an organization dedicated to ensuring that all Missouri families have equitable access to high-quality schools where students can thrive.
