11/03/25
Expanding Access: 2,800 Quality Seats Added Through CSP Grants
With over $3.6 million in new federal Charter School Program (CSP) funds, two high-impact schools in St. Louis have expanded their reach to serve more students with innovative, community-responsive learning models. Friendly Academy, an elementary school in North St. Louis, received $2 million to support its launch and growth to 400 students over the next five years. Meanwhile, Gateway Science Academy (GSA) is expanding access to career-connected learning through a $1.65 million grant to create 210 new middle and high school seats, anchored by a state-of-the-art multimedia and robotics center.
These investments are part of a growing movement across Missouri—one that’s creating more high-quality school seats for families who deserve great public school options. Since The Opportunity Trust began administering CSP funds, more than $16 million has been awarded to 10 schools, creating nearly 2,800 new quality seats across the state. This fall alone, schools in The Opportunity Trust portfolio collectively added hundreds of new seats through expansions at Atlas Public Schools, City Garden Montessori, Believe Middle College, and Gateway Science Academy, as well as the launch of Friendly Academy. Demand remains strong, with multiple schools—including Atlas and City Garden—reporting waitlists that reflect families’ desire for more high-quality school options.
Friendly Academy: Starting Small, Dreaming Big
Friendly Academy opened this fall in North St. Louis with 75 kindergarten and 1st grade students—and a vision to grow steadily to 400 K–5 students by 2029. Backed by a $2 million CSP grant administered by The Opportunity Trust, the school renovated its facility, recruited a strong founding staff, and developed a high-quality instructional foundation.
The Opportunity Trust’s support extends beyond academics to ensure deeper family engagement and community partnerships that make Friendly Academy a trusted North Side anchor. Founding board member Bishop Michael Jones Sr. aligned this vision with the area’s urgent revitalization needs, especially after the recent tornado.
“By coming together with our partners and the community, we’re breathing life and hope back into the North Side. Families who have been displaced—and those who believe in our vision—are seeing what’s possible when we work together to renew and uplift our neighborhood for the next generation,” said Bishop Jones.
Gateway Science Academy: Meeting Family Demand for Quality Middle and High School Options
Across St. Louis, families are seeking more high-quality middle and high school options—and Gateway Science Academy (GSA) is rising to meet that demand. With a $1.65 million CSP grant, GSA is adding 210 seats in grades 7–12, launching the Next Prep program to strengthen postsecondary pathways, and opening a new multimedia and robotics center to equip students with workforce-ready skills. The expansion builds on GSA’s STEAM leadership and commitment to serving diverse students, with upper-grade students already accessing the multimedia center this year.
To accommodate its growing waitlist, GSA relocated its middle school to a standalone campus, making room for expanded high school access. This growth reflects the school’s value in the community and its track record of academic excellence, with recent graduates accepted to MIT, Harvard, and other top universities.
“Having more seats available, especially for middle and high school levels, is important. We are getting more applications, and now we are able to accommodate more students,” said Engin Blackstone, Superintendent of Gateway Science Academy. “Over the years, we hope to add more to that. This grant helped us brainstorm and support dreams becoming possible for our students.”
A Model for Sustainable, Responsive Growth
Across Missouri, each CSP cycle builds on the progress of the last—ensuring that new schools like Friendly Academy and Believe Middle College, and expanding schools like Gateway Science Academy and Atlas Public Schools, grow intentionally to meet family demand. Since launching the first cycle of CSP in 2023, The Opportunity Trust has awarded more than $16 million across 10 subgrants, helping create almost 2,800 new quality charter school seats across the state—with more than 2,200 additional seats in the pipeline.
Missouri cannot grow quality without growing supply. The paradox is stark: while too many St. Louis schools remain under-enrolled and low-performing, families are clamoring for access to high-quality options. Growing waitlists at Premier Charter School, Momentum Academy, KIPP St. Louis, Gateway Science Academy, Believe Academy, Atlas, and The Leadership School—some at specific grades, others across entire campuses—tell the story. These families aren’t waiting for promises; they’re waiting for seats.
Our theory of change is simple: expand what works, launch what’s needed, and collaborate with families, educators, and civic leaders to reimagine what’s possible.
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