St. Louis charter schools are a public, primary, or secondary school founded as a means of giving children alternate education. Unlike traditional St. Louis public schools, charter schools receive donations from state, federal, and private donations, which usually allows them to benefit from a wider donation base, and therefore have more funds. Charter schools most often use this money to create a learning environment that focuses on engagement and more intuitive lessons than underfunded public STL schools. There are pros and cons to charter schools as well so most parents must make a decision by analyzing the facts, deciding which school best benefits their child, and on whether or not there is a suitable school in the right location.
Benefits of Charter Schools: There are many benefits of charter schools and among those are free attendance, more classroom attention, usually longer schooling time, more varied class time, summer classes. Charter schools are also non-sectarian and do not discriminate on any basis, meaning that there is no way they can turn a child away. Because these St. Louis schools are held accountable to state and federal learning standards, this gives any child the benefit of learning in an open environment without fear of losing education.
St. Louis Charter Schools
| STL Charter School | Phone Number | Attributes | Location |
| Atlas Public Schools | 314-437-4898 | K thru 2 | St. Louis City |
| The Biome | 314-531-0982 | K thru 5 | St. Louis City |
| City Garden Montessori | 314-664-7646 | K thru 8 | South St. Louis |
| Confluence Academies | 314-588-8554 | K thru 12 | Various Locations |
| Gateway Science Academy | 314-932-7513 | K thru 12 | Southwest City |
| Kairos Academies | 314-252-0602 | 5th thru 9th | South St. Louis |
| KIPP Inspire Academy | 314-865-2624 | Pk thru 12 | South St. Louis |
| Lafayette Preparatory Academy | 314-255-1636 | Pk thru 8 | Lafayette Park |
| Leadership School | 314-227-1777 | K thru 2 | CWE |
| Lift for Life Academy | 314-231-2337 | PK thru 12 | Soulard |
| Momentum Academy | 314-664-7627 | K thru 8 | Tower Grove |
| Northside Community School | 314-385-9502 | Pk thru 8 | North City |
| Premier Charter School | 314-645-9600 | K thru 8 | Southwest City |
| Soulard School | 314-865-2799 | K thru 8 | Soulard |
| St Louis Language Immersion School | 314-533-0975 | K thru 8 | South City |
| St. Louis Voices Academy of Media Arts | 314-901-4071 | K thru 1 | Downtown St. Louis |
A few of the study elements provided by charter schools include:
Curriculum adjustment per student
Adjustable school days
Open core academic subjects
New Learning Modules
Heavy Use of Computers & Electronics
Charter schools in St. Louis differentiate themselves from other standardized schools and often have a curriculum that concentrates in a particular area, such as a St. Louis STEM education, healthcare, or the arts.
Charter Schools in St. Louis
Cons of Charter Schools: Despite their many benefits, St. Louis charter schools sometimes face limitations as well. The most obvious limitation is that with fewer of these schools available, there is less likely to be one nearby for parents who want to send their children to one. Another less obvious benefit is that in some cases, these schools lack funding which can impose difficulties on the teachers. In most cases, active schools do have funding, but for startups, it is important to check the status of the school, as well as the providence of any necessary schooling materials. Some STL charter schools which have more applicants than they can teach also hold an admissions lottery which while more fair to the whole of the applicants, does not allow students to enter based on merit.
Deciding Between Charter, Public, and Private Schools: For anyone who is looking for a free education for their children, charter and public schools are the best way to go. Many people see charter schools as highly advantageous over St. Louis public schools. For example, in an anonymous survey of teacher boards across the United States; only 12% of teachers would have recommended their public school as the best place to educate a child. Public schools offer a better teacher to student ratio but can be quite expensive and difficult to get into for many parents. Finally, charter schools have their own advantages and disadvantages but from an education perspective, are mostly highly beneficial for children. Usually choosing between schools depends on the parents budget, the intelligence of the child, and the availability of schools in the area.
