The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in English language arts. The lowest is 13% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on The Leadership School
The Leadership School is a public charter school in Pagedale, Missouri, serving kindergarten through third grade as a regular school. It opened in the 2022-2023 school year as St. Louis County’s first public charter school, creating a free, open-enrollment option for families living within the Normandy Schools Collaborative boundaries. The school provides transportation and plans to expand toward sixth grade. Enrollment grew noticeably between its second and third years, signaling sustained demand for this new choice.
Pagedale is a small, predominantly residential city in St. Louis County. The area was originally farmland that developed after a streetcar line was built in the late 1800s. Housing includes older subdivisions, but the city has a high vacancy rate and the population has declined steadily for decades. The city’s civic anchors include a City Hall and Police Facility and Lucas Crossing Elementary School. St. Charles Rock Road serves as the main commercial corridor. The Leadership School is not part of the Normandy Schools Collaborative itself, but the two share a service area; the district’s comprehensive high school, Normandy High School, is located outside Pagedale’s boundaries.
The school enrolls a small student body for its grade band. The student population is almost entirely African American. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported. Because the school serves only early elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to examine.
On Missouri’s state assessments, proficiency rates were low in both tested grades and subjects. In third-grade math and English language arts, about one in ten students scored proficient or above. Fourth-grade math results were similar, while fourth-grade English language arts showed a somewhat higher share of students meeting the bar, roughly three in ten. Compared to all other districts in St. Louis County, the school’s overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint. A parent may want to ask the school about its academic improvement strategies and how it supports students who are below grade level.
Housing in the area is priced well below both the state and national benchmarks. Rents are also lower than the national typical. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate has been in the mid-six-percent range, and the national unemployment rate has held steady near four percent. The national median household income has risen modestly in recent years. These national metrics provide a general economic backdrop, though local conditions in Pagedale may differ.
The school’s leadership-focused and culturally relevant curriculum model is a stated part of its identity, but no specific program details, course access data, or staffing information were available in the provided data. The school does not serve upper grades, so it offers no high school pathways such as Advanced Placement, career and technical education, or dual credit. Families considering The Leadership School should understand it as a new, small early-elementary charter with a distinct mission and transportation provided, set in a community that has experienced long-term population loss. The school has low proficiency rates, and a parent would want to engage directly with the school about its academic approach and how it monitors student progress toward grade-level goals.
See more original research from School Decision →