Discovery School bucks trend, but almost all taxpayer-funded scholarships went to religious schools – Springfield Daily Citizen
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Though there are several non-religious private schools available in Springfield, only one of them this year received funding through state-funded vouchers, according to a report published by the Missouri Independent.
Through an open records request, the nonprofit news outlet found that 54 of 197 MOScholars scholarships in Springfield went to students attending Discovery School. The remainder were given to religious private schools.
The Springfield figures are an anomaly compared to the statewide totals. The Independent reports almost 98% of scholarships through the program went to religious schools. The Discovery School accounted for nearly all of the 59 scholarships for private schools without a religious affiliation, while 2,270 scholarships across the state went to religious schools.
The data gives weight to opponents’ fears that public taxpayer money in this year’s budget would be shifted mainly to religious institutions that can limit their admissions based on moral or cultural standards.
Rep. Betsy Fogle, a Democrat who represents Springfield’s District No. 135 and is the ranking minority member of the House’s budget committee, said that she expressed significant concerns over state money going to schools that did not follow the same accountability measures as public schools, but Republicans in charge of the budget process, and Gov. Mike Kehoe, still moved ahead with the changes this year.
“They decided to go ahead and fund, for the first time ever, general revenue dollars going to support education of private schools,” Fogle said. “Schools that get to choose their students, not families that get to choose their schools. What we’re seeing in the data … is a verification of those fears.”
Proponents of the program say it’s beneficial for lower-income families who do not believe public school is the best option for their children.
This is the first year that $51 million in public money has been used for the MOScholars program. Previously, it was funded by tax-deductible donations.
Scholarship funds were previously kept only by nonprofits that administered scholarships. Now, State Treasurer Vivek Malek’s office holds that scholarship money, and the nonprofits sent invoices in order to fund the scholarships.
Those invoices included the data outlined in the Missouri Independent’s report.
Discovery School was founded in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. It offers small class sizes and project-based learning through individualized instruction. Last school year, its enrollment was at about 130 across its two campuses, meaning the 54 scholarships reported represent almost half of its student body.
Among the religious schools in Springfield that received scholarships:
• Gloria Deo Academy was the largest single recipient, with 58. The K-12 school emphasizes education “in a historic biblical worldview through a rigorous classical curriculum.” It has more than 500 students and a waiting list of about 100, according to information collected by Cause IQ.
• The Springfield Catholic Schools system received 45 scholarships across several of its schools, including 22 for Immaculate Conception, 14 for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, six for Springfield Catholic High School and three for St. Agnes. In the 2023-24 school year, it reported attendance of 1,279 students, according to numbers collected by the Daily Citizen.
Deacon Rob Huff, who serves as the superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, said that the church worked with the Bright Futures Fund as the program expanded in size and scope over the last few years, in order to ensure parishioners could take advantage of it. The diocese serves both the SCS system and St. Joseph Catholic Academy.
“It took time just getting the word out, and I think our principals and our pastors did a good job with things from the diocese’s newsletter to parish bulletins,” Huff said. “It’s been a multiple, multi-tiered, multi-level approach trying to get the word out on a new program with this magnitude.”
• St. Joseph Catholic Academy, a K-8 school, received 27. While the school is separate from the SCS system, its students usually matriculate to Springfield Catholic High School, according to its website. Enrollment is at about 65 students, according to numbers reported by U.S. News and World Report.
• Dayspring Christian School received 13. The K-12 school offers an education that is Christ-centered, and encourages “a life of prayer, heartfelt worship, the study of Scripture, and faithful obedience to Christ.” It has 220 students enrolled, according to its website.
The Daily Citizen reached out to officials with Discovery School and Gloria Deo Academy, and will update this report if replies are received.
Created in 2021, the MOScholars program previously funded scholarships exclusively through private donations, with donors receiving tax credits for their contributions. Those private donations were disbursed by nonprofit “educational assistance organizations,” according to the state.
Families can receive up to $6,375 annually for tuition and other expenses through MOScholars. The scholarships are intended for students in Individual Education Plans and students living in low-income households.
But after it experienced low donations, Treasurer Malek asked for a $51 million infusion of public cash — an amount more than double the $23 million it received in donations. He proposed the payment as a way to solve a funding lag, as the program adjusted its calendar from offering funds at the end of a school year to the beginning.
When Gov. Kehoe signed the budget into effect in June, he left intact more than $51 million for MOScholars while vetoing many other Springfield-based projects that state lawmakers had approved.
The Missouri National Education Association has sued the state over the provision, calling it an unconstitutional redirection of taxpayer funds. A temporary restraining order filed by the MNEA was denied in August.
Public schools in Missouri must participate in the state’s Missouri School Improvement Program and show adequate yearly progress in order to be accredited. While MOScholars requires private schools to be accredited in order to receive scholarships, the accrediting agencies for those schools do not require similar annual reviews.
In addition to that accreditation gap, Fogle said the program did not deliver on its promise to open private schools up to more parents. Fogle said data from the Missouri Independent’s report confirms that the program has not really been expanded to new students.
“When you look at the data of the program, one could argue that we are sending predominantly children who were already going to private schools continuing their education in private schools,” Fogle said. “It is not necessarily lifting families out of ‘failing schools’ … We underpay our teachers and underfund our schools, and until we fix that, I think we are going to continue to have the conversations we’re having.”
Joe Hadsall is the education reporter for the Springfield Daily Citizen. Hadsall has more than two decades of experience reporting in the Ozarks with the Joplin Globe, Christian County Headliner News and 417 Magazine. Contact him at (417) 837-3671 or jhadsall@sgfcitizen.org. More by Joe Hadsall
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