The March 2010 State Board of Education meeting primarily focused on reviewing the budget passed by the Missouri House of Representatives.  State Board members heard the dire state of Missouri’s budget and discussed ways for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to save money and adequately fund education.

In conjunction with cost cutting measures, State Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro outlined her proposed plan for reorganizing the department.  Under the plan, the department would operate under two arms.  The first arm would be for administrative and fiscal services.  The second arm would be for learning services.  The reorganization plan also added departments for data systems and early learning, as well as a newly created position for a Legislative Liason.

In addition to budget and reorganization discussions, the Board also approved two applications for charter schools.St. Louis Collegiate will be located in St. Louis and was approved to begin operations in the 2010 – 2011 school year.  Students in Kansas City will also have a new public charter school option, as the Board approved the charter of DeLaSalle Charter School.  The school is one in a growing nationwide trend that is converting from a private school to a charter public school.  This school will also begin charter operations in the 2010 – 2011 school year.

The board also heard updates on Missouri’s work toward the Common Core State Standards Iniative and round two of the Race to the Top competitive grant program.  These are two initives pushed by United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.