St. Louis Public Schools’ “elected” Board of Education will meet noon, Saturday at the Gateway Classic Foundation, 2012 Martin Luther King Drive.

The board is in the midst of putting the finishing touches on a plan for city schools.

Their plan, “Better Schools for St. Louis Children,” is seven pages long, detailing changes the board believes should be made. It is the product of nine months of meeting with community members, parents and education experts.

The elected board, which has been in contention with the state over it appointing a new Board of Education, is critical of the state and the management of the district in the report.

One idea was expressed in so many different forms and variations from so many people that it came through loudly and clearly above all the rest: the climate created by the district bureaucracy, the state board of education, and the governors of the school district does not encourage excellence from people in the district, be they staff or students.

There was an overwhelming consensus that if St. Louis Public Schools are going to make any meaningful improvement, the governors of the district and the district bureaucracy must start valuing people over programs. In short, the foundation for improving the school district is to organize operations around the idea that people make the difference, not programs.

Along with handling practical matters like the needs of teachers and administrators, the report also details what assistance is needed from the state.