SLPS moves Confluence Academies to remedial plan after mixed test-growth results

Saint Louis Public Schools placed Confluence Academies on a Level 1 remedial plan Wednesday after district reviewers found the charter failed to meet multiple contractual academic measures over the past two school years. Network superintendents told the board the remedial plan will be developed collaboratively and monitored; if Confluence does not show progress it could face probation and, ultimately, charter revocation under the district's sponsorship handbook and contract.

Why it matters: Confluence is under a five-year sponsorship contract with SLPS that the district must evaluate before recommending renewal to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The corrective steps and timelines set now will determine whether SLPS recommends renewal or moves to higher enforcement actions when the renewal decision occurs in the 2026'27 cycle.

At the meeting, network superintendent Isaac Pollock and Dr. Tanya Bailey summarized Confluence's performance results and next steps. Pollock said the contract's primary academic accountability measures require that 95% of tested students in specified grades and courses demonstrate growth on NWEA reading and math and that 50% meet or exceed their annual individual growth goals. Pollock reported Confluence did not meet the 95% growth benchmark in either reading or math in 2023'24 or 2024'25, and that math growth percentages fell from 83% to 74% year to year. The number of students meeting individual growth goals in math fell from 51% to 48% in the most recent year.

Confluence provided written responses that district staff included in the record: the charter said some students did not receive eligible testing accommodations (translation services, separate setting), some students had an invalidating rapid-guess rate on MAP tests, and some tests took fewer than 20 minutes — factors NWEA deems to invalidate results. Confluence said removal of those invalidated records would change the percentages to meet the contract benchmarks and committed to reviewing testing procedures for 2025'26. Pollock said the district will monitor testing accommodations and completion times on the upcoming fall NWEA administration.

District actions and timeline: Under SLPS's charter sponsorship handbook, the district escalates responses when contractual performance standards are missed. The steps are: 1) collaboratively develop a remedial plan; 2) if insufficient progress, move to probation (up to 24 months) with a school improvement plan and monthly reporting to SLPS; 3) continued failure could trigger revocation. The board's staff moved Confluence to Level 1 (remedial plan). Pollock said the remedial plan will incorporate partially met or unmet feedback measures identified in quarterly site visits and will include responsible personnel and benchmarks.

Data and context: Confluence reported October 2024 enrollment at about 2,477 students (district capacity figure cited as 3,945). SLPS noted that Aspire Academies closed, affecting year-to-year totals. Pollock said Confluence participates in the Success Ready Students Network (SRSN) and continues to administer NWEA MAP assessments; SLPS is coordinating with DESE about how SRSN participation affects state APR reporting while alternate APR systems are developed. The district's contract requires reporting on third'eighth grades and Algebra I and English II for the growth measures.

District oversight and next steps: Pollock said SLPS's next steps are to develop and implement the remedial plan with Confluence, monitor fall NWEA accommodations and timing, assess growth through classroom observations and teacher interviews in quarter 1, and determine whether Confluence exits the remedial plan or moves to Level 2 probation. Quarterly site visits and the DESE Assurance Checklist remain part of ongoing sponsorship duties. If Confluence reaches probation, the district would require a school improvement plan with benchmarks and monthly updates; the final renewal or closure decision would occur in 2026'27 and, if closure were recommended, DESE convenes a closure committee to transition students and assets.

What board members asked: Board members asked whether SLPS would absorb students if Confluence closed; staff replied that SLPS serves both sponsor and district roles and would participate on a DESE closure committee to transition students and records. Pollock said the district already works to get Confluence to digitize records and provide them to an SLPS custodian of records to preserve transcripts and student files should closure occur.

Ending: SLPS will present updates after the fall NWEA window and as the remedial plan is developed. The district noted that failure to meet the remedial plan could lead to probation or revocation under the sponsorship handbook.