06/26/25
Strategic Growth: New Charter School Program Grants Fuel Bold Expansion
Three Missouri charter schools—Atlas Public Schools, Believe Middle College, and Guadalupe Centers Charter Schools—have been awarded nearly $8 million in federal funding through Cycle 3 of the Expanding Opportunities: Missouri Charter School Program (CSP). The funds will support school replication, new school launches, and high school expansion projects, resulting in the creation of over 1,400 new quality enrollment opportunities for students across St. Louis and Kansas City.
With these latest awards, The Opportunity Trust has invested more than $15 million in public charter schools since Fall 2023, creating 2,500 new quality enrollment options for Missouri families. This funding reflects a shared statewide commitment to meeting the growing demand for innovative, community-driven public school choices. From expanding middle school access to offering early college pathways and serving immigrant communities, each school is growing in direct response to what families are asking for.
Atlas Public Schools: Growing Up with Their Students
In St. Louis, Atlas Public Schools has become a trusted name among families looking for an academically rigorous and emotionally supportive learning environment. After opening its elementary school in 2021, Atlas faced an all-too-common question from families: What comes next?
Thanks to two CSP awards—$2 million for replication and $2 million for middle school expansion—Atlas will now offer a Pre-K through 8th grade continuum across two campuses. The middle school will open in fall 2026, growing one grade each year, and a second elementary school will launch that same fall, serving Pre-k and kindergarten, eventually serving an additional 1,026 students over the next six years.
“This gives us the opportunity to do something many parents have asked for—keep their children in the Atlas community beyond elementary school,” said Katie O’Sullivan, Chief Communications and Development Officer for Atlas. “We’re growing with purpose, and we’re so grateful for the opportunity to serve more families who believe in what we’re building.”
Atlas Public Schools first launched with support from a Meet the Moment grant, which funded early learning kits and virtual enrichment during the pandemic, laying the foundation for today’s full-year, intentionally diverse school model built on hands-on learning and family partnership.
Atlas parent, Courtney Dula, acknowledged the impact of this grant and school expansion, “We are so pleased with the support that our child has received since starting at Atlas and are glad that this will extend into what can be a difficult period of time in their education, especially socially and emotionally.”
Ashley Hawkins, who has two children at Atlas, added, “From the beginning, this has been a collaborative learning experience. I want my sons to continue experiencing that as long as they can. They love going to Atlas!”
Believe Middle College: Reimagining High School for Disengaged Youth
Opening in fall 2025, Believe Middle College will be a new kind of high school in St. Louis—one designed specifically for students aged 17–20 who have disengaged from traditional school settings. With a $1.39 million CSP grant, the middle-college school will launch with 25 students and plans to grow to 100 over the next few years. The school will offer a personalized, accelerated path to graduation that includes dual enrollment, industry certifications, and paid internships.
The model was born from a clear gap in the education landscape: too many young people in this age range who are no longer supported by K–12 schools but not yet served by adult education programs. “We’ve done a disservice to young people by not creating a space where they can reengage,” said Tanesia Simmons, Founder of Believe Middle College. “We’re not focused on what they’ve lost—we’re focused on what they can gain.”
Students will have access to flexible, real-world learning pathways in fields like healthcare, education, and construction, and receive the support they need to thrive. The school’s approach combines high academic goals with high support: most students are expected to graduate within 18 months through the Missouri-Options diploma program.
“When a student knows they’re seen and their future is taken seriously, everything changes,” Simmons said. “We are reshaping what it means to be college and career ready.”
Believe Middle College is anchored by strong partnerships, ensuring students receive school-based therapy, mentorship, job placement, financial coaching, and access to postsecondary transition support. Students are expected to engage in internships, work-based learning, or industry certifications, and move on to college, trade programs, the military, or employment within six months of graduation.
Guadalupe Centers Charter Schools: Expanding Access in Latino Communities
In Kansas City, Guadalupe Centers Charter Schools (GCCS) received a $2 million CSP grant to expand its high school, to support adding 130 new enrollment spots, and growing its elementary and middle schools by an additional 180 seats, for a total of 310 new enrollment spots over the next two years. The funding will support the renovation and furnishing of a newly acquired facility, enabling the school to grow into a state-of-the-art learning environment with a dedicated media center, specialized learning spaces, and upgraded technology, designed to support real-world learning, early college programs, and expanded academic offerings.
“Every student deserves access to an education that prepares them for life beyond high school,” said Dr. Alicia Miguel, Chief of Schools at GCCS. “This grant helps us fulfill that promise by ensuring our students have the spaces, resources, and technology to match the quality instruction and wraparound services our families have come to expect.”
“To our family, Guadalupe Centers Charter School is so much more than just a school – it’s a second home, a safe haven, and a source of light in our lives,” said parent Josie Sembler. “It’s where my children feel truly seen, valued, and uplifted. Through every classroom, every teacher, and every moment, they’ve grown not only in knowledge but in confidence, culture, and character. As a parent, there is no greater peace than knowing your child is surrounded by people who care deeply and believe in them.”
GCCS serves a student population that is over 90% Latino and rooted in Kansas City’s Westside. As part of the broader Guadalupe Centers Inc. network—the nation’s longest-standing Latino-serving nonprofit—students benefit from on-site bilingual counseling, housing support, and health services in addition to a robust academic program.
“This investment will help us create a high school experience that reflects the excellence our students deserve—complete with a multimedia lab, new technology, and expanded course offerings,” said Steve Lumetta, Vice President of Operations and Support Services at GCCS.
A Statewide Movement to Expand Opportunity
The CSP program is making it possible for public charter schools to grow in response to clear community demand, offering more choices, innovative models, and new hope for children’s success across the state. Tools like School App STL are making that demand visible, capturing real-time data on where families are applying and what types of schools they’re seeking. This insight is helping to guide strategic growth, reduce enrollment barriers, and ensure that new school options reflect what families actually need. In total, more than $15 million has now been directed to expanding access to public charter schools, unlocking 2,500 new quality enrollment opportunities for Missouri families since Fall 2023.
The next round of CSP applications will open in July 2025. For more information on the program or to learn more about the work of these schools, visit theopportunitytrust.org/CSP.