JEFFERSON CITY — Identical House bills were heard by the Senate’s Education Committee concerning the sale of unused public school buildings on Tuesday.
HB 2404 and HB 2172, sponsored by Rep. George Hruza, R-St. Louis, and Rep. Marlene Terry, D-St. Louis, respectively, aim to allow public school districts to sell their unused buildings to charter schools.
In recent years, the number of students enrolled in public schools has declined. According to Education Week, some of the causes for lower enrollment include lower birth rates and lower immigration rates, along with more parents choosing alternatives to public schools like homeschooling or charter schools.
The decline has hit the public schools in St. Louis and Kansas City especially hard. Steve Carroll, a lobbyist for the St. Louis Public School District, said public school enrollment in St. Louis city has decreased from 114,000 in 1970 to 17,000 now.
Because of the decline in enrollment, many public school buildings are now vacant.
Kate Casas is a lobbyist representing KIPP St. Louis, part of a nationwide charter school system. Casas said taxpayers are required to pay for the upkeep of these empty buildings.
“What an egregious waste of taxpayer dollars,” said Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, the chair of the Education Committee.
Tricia Workman, a lobbyist for the Missouri Charter Public Schools Association, said the bills would target a 99-year restriction on the sale of public school buildings. She said this stipulation is in place to prevent sales to charter schools.
Académie Lafayette is a charter school in Kansas City, which is currently operating out of an office building.
Micah Bartel, an Académie Lafayette alumnus and current University of Missouri freshman, said that not having a gym or auditorium caused many of his middle school peers to not attend the high school.
The high schoolers were able to create a basketball team and a theater group, but they had to drive long distances to be able to practice.
“It really needs to be the case where there’s a mutual support between all public schools to ensure that the kids’ future is not in jeopardy,” Bartel said.
The bills would also place a stipulation that public entities, like the state of Missouri or any institution supported in whole or in part by public funds, would be able to purchase the building prior to any private entities.
Chris Roepe, a Kansas City Public Schools lobbyist, said two unused buildings in the district were recently sold to charter schools, including Académie Lafayette.
Roepe added that numerous other buildings in the district have been repurposed into things like a senior living facility, a community park and affordable housing for teachers.
Carroll said there are currently 14 buildings for sale by the St. Louis Public School District, but there have been no bids from charter schools.
Bartel called for an end to charter schools and public schools competing with each other. He said this bill would lead to a better relationship.
“It really is a big deal when it comes to giving students the freedom to choose a school that fits for them,” Bartel said. “When public and charter schools are pitted against each other, it makes both options seem like the worst option because they’re both trying to harm each other.”
Last year, the Kansas City Public School District worked with nine local charter schools to pass its first bond since 1967. This bond gave them $474 million and will be allocated to the public and charter schools for upkeep and maintenance.
The bills passed the House in a 91-54 decision. They now await a vote from the Education Committee.
“To me, this is a complete, total no-brainer, common sense,” Brattin said. “Why would we allow taxpayer dollars to sit and fall into complete disarray to where it needs to be torn down versus being utilized for something that is needed, wanted and desired by the community?”