Charter Public Schools in Columbia? Understanding Missouri's Senate Bill 727 Fight.

Missouri charter public schools have operated primarily in St. Louis and Kansas City for more than 25 years. Now they're coming to Columbia — and Columbia Public Schools is fighting the law that made it possible. Senate Bill 727 expanded charter school eligibility to Boone County. The Missouri State Board of Education has since approved Frontier STEM Academy, which plans to open in Columbia in fall 2027. Columbia Public Schools opposed the application and filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law. In this episode of One Good Idea, CEAM's Peter Franzen is joined by Noah Devine, Executive Director of the Missouri Charter Public School Association, and attorney Alexandra Cossette to discuss: What a Missouri charter public school actually is Who authorizes and oversees charter schools How charter school funding works What SB 727 changed in Boone County Why Columbia Public Schools is challenging the law What the case could mean for the future of charter schools in Missouri Who should ultimately decide whether families need another public school option As Noah explains in the conversation, the underlying issue goes beyond the mechanics of charter law: families with financial means have long exercised school choice by moving, choosing private schools, or homeschooling. The question is whether families without those resources should have meaningful choices as well. One Good Idea is a podcast from the Children's Education Alliance of Missouri.