After having been unaccredited for more than five years, the 23,000-student public school system in St. Louis is officially accredited again. The Missouri board of education voted unanimously yesterday to grant the district the status “provisionally accredited.”
St. Louis’ schools now meet seven of the fourteen standards required for full accreditation. The district lost accreditation in 2007, after failing to meet standards and experiencing ongoing turmoil in leadership and on the board. The district remains under the control of a special administrative board rather than a local elected board.
The state board cited the district’s long-range plan that “provides for improved collection and use of data to drive academic gains,” an improved annual performance rating, a balanced budget, and new leadership as reasons behind the decision.
