Understanding the Responsibilities of the St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education

The St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) Board of Education plays a crucial role in the governance and oversight of the school district. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the responsibilities of the SLPS Board of Education, encompassing various aspects such as academic performance, financial stability, community engagement, and the roles of key personnel.

Introduction

The SLPS Board of Education is responsible for ensuring that the district provides high-quality education to all students. This involves setting policies, approving budgets, and overseeing the implementation of programs and initiatives designed to improve student outcomes. The board works in collaboration with the Superintendent, district staff, and the community to achieve these goals.

Composition and Election of the Board

The St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education consists of seven members elected to four-year terms. These elections are vital as they allow the community to choose individuals who will represent their interests and make decisions that impact the education of their children.

Key Responsibilities of the Board

The SLPS Board of Education has several key responsibilities, including:

Academic Oversight and Improvement

One of the primary responsibilities of the board is to ensure the academic success of students in the district. This involves:

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Monitoring Student Achievement: The board oversees standardized instructional assessments, evaluation, and data analysis for the District. They communicate achievement results to Board members, administrators, teachers, and community members.
Literacy Initiatives: The board supports literacy initiatives within the district. DESE continues to support SLPS on the district’s Literacy Initiatives.
Addressing Learning Barriers: Recognizing that Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) contribute to a child’s success in school, the board supports the work of these professionals who diagnose, assess, and treat students with speech, language, and communication disorders. SLPs provide a range of services in schools, from prevention to intervention, and develop personalized treatment plans to help students improve their skills.

Financial Stability and Accountability

The board is responsible for ensuring the financial stability and accountability of the school district. This includes:

Budget Management: The Executive Director of Business Services serves as the Chief Financial Officer of St. Louis Park Public Schools. They direct the Finance Department service functions, including financial accounting and reporting, cash management, revenues and investments, management information systems support, accounts payable, payroll, and grant accounting. They assist the Superintendent with strategic management and decision processes, and compliance with state, and Federal regulations.
Compliance with Regulations: Ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations is a critical aspect of the board's financial responsibilities.

Community Engagement and Communication

Effective communication and engagement with the community are essential for the success of the school district. The board promotes this through:

Public Forums: The school board shall normally provide a specific period of time when citizens may address the school board on any topic, subject to the limitations of the policy.
Marketing and Communication: Under the direction of the Superintendent, the Director of Communications is responsible for effectively marketing and communicating about St. Louis Park Public Schools so that staff, families, and community members are well-informed.
Addressing the Board: The school board president will recognize one speaker at a time and rule out of order other speakers who are not recognized. Only those speakers recognized by the chair will be allowed to speak. Each speaker will be given up to three minutes, with time extended to six minutes if translation is necessary. Comments by others are out of order. Individuals who interfere with or interrupt speakers, the school board, or the proceedings may be directed to leave. Personal attacks by anyone addressing the school board are unacceptable.

Addressing Key Challenges

The SLPS Board of Education faces several ongoing challenges that require attention and strategic action:

Attendance Rates: According to the 2024-25 Annual Performance Report (APR) SLPS's attendance rate is 46.3 percent. DESE is actively collaborating with SLPS to address this challenge through the development of a comprehensive attendance campaign.
Transportation: At the start of the 2025-26 school year, SLPS adopted the Zum transportation app, providing families with flexible transportation options for getting students to and from school, while offering real-time tracking.

The Role of Key Personnel

Several key personnel support the Board of Education in fulfilling its responsibilities:

Superintendent: Dr. Millicent Borishade is the superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools. The superintendent oversees several important tasks including managing staff, maintaining budgets, monitoring student success, and furthering a vision for the district.
Executive Directors: The district has several executive directors overseeing various departments, including Student Services, Business Services, Human Resources, Community Education, and Information Services.

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) and Their Impact

SLPs play a vital role in supporting students with communication disorders. They:

Assess and Treat Disorders: Speech-Language Pathologists are trained professionals who diagnose, assess, and treat students with speech, language, and communication disorders. These disorders may include difficulties with understanding language, expressing thoughts and ideas, or speaking clearly.
Provide Personalized Treatment Plans: Based on their findings, SLPs develop personalized treatment plans to help students improve their skills.
Collaborate with Stakeholders: SLPs collaborate with teachers, parents, and other professionals to ensure students receive the best possible support. In the classroom, SLPs may suggest strategies and accommodations to help students with language or speech difficulties. SLPs often meet with parents to discuss a child’s progress, share strategies for supporting communication development at home, and answer any questions.
Advocate for Communication Needs: In addition to their direct work with students, SLPs also serve as advocates for communication needs in the school community. They may provide training for teachers and staff to increase awareness of communication disorders and how to support affected students.

Addressing Specific Needs

The SLPS Board of Education also focuses on addressing specific needs within the district:

Special Education Programs: The Executive Director of Student Services oversees all of the District's special needs programs and works closely with the Curriculum and Instruction team to assure quality programs for students and quality staff development.
Community Education: The Executive Director of Community Education oversees all community education programs for the District including youth and adult enrichment activities, child care programs, the Early Childhood Family Education program, senior programs and adult basic education programs.

Historical Context and Accreditation

In 2007, the State of Missouri implemented a three-member Special Administrative Board to serve as the school district's governing body. One member was appointed by the Governor of Missouri, one was appointed by the mayor of St. Louis, and one member was appointed by the president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen. At the time of the appointment, the district had accrued $40 million in debt and was failing to meet the state's academic standards. The Missouri State Board of Education classified the school district as unaccredited in 2007. This historical context highlights the challenges the district has faced and the ongoing efforts to improve its standing.

In January, the State Board of Education approved to reclassify SLPS from accredited to provisionally accredited.

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