51黑料

ST. LOUIS 鈥� The first charter school teachers to form a union in 51黑料 say they feel unsafe due to staffing shortages as contract talks have stalled more than a year later.

Two-thirds of the faculty at KIPP High School voted in November 2022 to join Local 420 of the American Federation of Teachers, which also represents teachers in 51黑料 Public Schools. Contract negotiations have been sporadic since then, said Nate Gibson, government teacher and bargaining committee chairman.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not really on a trajectory to reach a deal this year with how infrequently they are scheduling meetings,鈥� Gibson said.

KIPP 51黑料 released a statement saying they have negotiated in good faith with the union and have responded to more than 20 proposed contracts.

鈥淥ur goal is to reach a mutually beneficial agreement that acknowledges and appreciates the dedication of KIPP 51黑料 High School staff while upholding the high standards of education our students deserve. We are optimistic about achieving a fair and equitable resolution in the near future,鈥� the statement reads.

The school has a 50% annual turnover rate for teachers, according to the union. Several math and science classes are taught online or by substitutes. This year, 70% of KIPP teachers are not certified for the subject or grade they are assigned.

鈥淭o have a school that works, you need a strong culture of learning, a strong culture of safety and ownership of the school by the students,鈥� Gibson said. 鈥淲hen there are new faces during the year it鈥檚 hard to build that culture.鈥�

KIPP 51黑料 leaders say the charter network faces the same staffing problems that have plagued schools nationwide since the pandemic. The city鈥檚 declining population, particularly among Black families, has contributed to smaller numbers of applicants, executive director Kelly Garrett told the State Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday.

鈥淵ou cannot run a great school without great teachers,鈥� Garrett said. 鈥淒emographically that鈥檚 my biggest concern.鈥�

The state board unanimously approved a five-year renewal of the KIPP 51黑料 charter to operate the high school, two middle schools and three elementary schools that enroll a total of 2,320 students. Before taking the vote, board members questioned KIPP leaders about low attendance and academic scores.

More than half of KIPP students were chronically absent last year including three out of four high school students. Chronically absent is defined as missing more than 10% of school days.

On the academic side, less than five KIPP High School students scored proficient or advanced on English II, Algebra or Biology standardized exams last spring.

Improving attendance and academics are 鈥渨ildly important goals鈥� at KIPP schools, Garrett said.

鈥淭he way we鈥檙e going to get back to academic success and excellence is having kids in school every day,鈥� he said.

The schools have started attendance award programs and new communication systems with families. When a student is absent, the family gets a text message with a survey asking about barriers to getting to school. If the family doesn鈥檛 respond, they get a phone call. Chronically absent students receive home visits from staff and mental health support.

There are also bright spots in the charter school鈥檚 data. Graduates of KIPP High are more likely to attend college than other Missouri students. Last year, 68% of KIPP graduates went on to a two- or four-year college, compared to the statewide average of 57%.

But teachers at the high school said they are frustrated by losing coworkers to higher paying neighbors. The average teacher at KIPP High makes $46,649 and has less than four years in the classroom. In SLPS, the average teacher makes $53,854 with eight years of experience. The local union just negotiated a new three-year contract for SLPS teachers that includes 17% to 22% raises.

In late November, the high school canceled classes for a day because of understaffing, teachers said. The school closed for two weeks in fall 2022 for security upgrades after three students brought weapons to campus.

Last month, the teachers union delivered a petition last month to KIPP administrators that calls for a fully staffed school with competitive wages with other area schools.

Behavior issues 鈥渞un rampant鈥� at the high school because of a lack of consistent staffing, the petition says.

Last year, 18% of students at KIPP High School were suspended for 10 days or longer. That compares to 11% of students at nearby Vashon High in SLPS and 8% at Confluence Prep charter high school, state records show.

A ratified contract would be the first in 51黑料 for a charter school, which have historically favored autonomy in hiring and compensation decisions. About 10% of charter school teachers nationwide are unionized, compared to 70% of teachers in traditional public schools.

In 2015, teachers at Grand Center Arts Academy voted to join the 51黑料 AFT, but the move fell through in negotiations with the Confluence Academy charter network.