Rowden on charter school bill in final two weeks

(Missourinet) Missouri Senate Majority Floor Leader Caleb Rowden thinks legislation about a charter school expansion has a “tough path” in the final two weeks of this session.

A House proposal would let charter schools open in Missouri cities or charter counties with a population of at least 30,000.

“I am about as certain as I know how to be that we would have the votes to pass a charter bill out of the Senate,” Sen. Rowden says. “With some of the issues that the sponsor had in the House, and some other family illnesses that have kept a couple of the House members [unavailable], I think their path is a little tougher.”

Current law allows charter schools in Kansas City, St. Louis and any unaccredited school districts. Charter schools are publicly-funded and run independently of traditional public schools.