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SLU Expands Charter School Portfolio with Addition of The Biome School

04/30/2025

In a move that underscores its commitment to educational equity and innovation, Saint Louis University’s School of Education has officially added The Biome School to its portfolio of public charter schools. The Missouri State Board of Education approved the addition at its March meeting, marking a new chapter in the university’s deepening engagement with the St. Louis community.

A young girl uses a pipette to get a red liquid out of a beaker.

Located just blocks from the School of Education, The Biome School will officially join the University’s sponsorship portfolio on July 1, 2025.

Located just blocks from the School of Education at 4471 Olive Street, The Biome School will officially join the University’s sponsorship portfolio on July 1, 2025. Founded in 2015, The Biome is rooted in the legacy of the Youth Learning Center and driven by a mission to provide high-quality, student-centered learning experiences, particularly in underserved communities.

Biome Logo
 

“The Biome School was born from a vision of equity, innovation, and academic excellence,” said Bill Kent, current president and son of Willie L. Kent Sr., co-founder of The Biome. Alongside Judy DeLuca Ford and Ray Ford, Kent helped launch a movement grounded in expanding access to STEAM education for students across the city. “This partnership with SLU represents a natural evolution of that mission,” Kent added.

Saint Louis University currently sponsors four other charter schools: City Garden Montessori School in St. Louis, and Académie Lafayette, Hope Leadership Academy and Frontier Schools in Kansas City. The addition of The Biome further strengthens SLU’s role as a leader in educational innovation and community-based school partnerships across Missouri.

The collaboration is already taking shape through a thought partnership between The Biome School's principal, Laura Meyers, and SLU’s iSCORE program, led by Christa Jackson, Ph.D. Together, they are working to strengthen instructional practices with a focus on STEM integration and student success.

For the School of Education, this partnership opens new avenues for aspiring teachers and faculty to engage directly with St. Louis students and educators. “This is more than a sponsorship: It’s a commitment to sustained, authentic community engagement,” said officials from the School of Education. “By working side-by-side with The Biome, we aim to create meaningful, lasting impact.”

The addition of The Biome School highlights the School of Education’s core value of community engagement and reinforces the university’s mission to transform lives through education. As the partnership grows, so too does the promise of a brighter, more equitable future for students in St. Louis.