School district regains provisional accreditation

School board president Jon Hile and Superintendent Stephen Green took questions at a press conference yesterday after the school district regained provisional accreditation from the state.

School board president Jon Hile and Superintendent Stephen Green took questions at a press conference yesterday after the school district regained provisional accreditation from the state.

“It’s a good day for the Kansas City public schools,” superintendent Stephen Green declared yesterday.

Green was responding to the news that the Kansas City schools are provisionally accredited again. The district has been designated as unaccredited by the state since 2012 and hasn’t had provisional accreditation since 2006. It has never been fully accredited.

As the Kansas City Star reported, the state school board unanimously approved Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro’s recommendation to take the district off the unaccredited list.

The state said the district is showing growth in some subjects. Overall performance remains low, Nicastro said, but students continue to show improvement.

Green said he’s pleased that “we’re no longer in the discussion about the transfer of students.” Under state law, students in unaccredited districts can transfer to neighboring districts. He said the district would welcome back 18 students who had indicated a desire to transfer.

Board president Jon Hile said he is proud of the work the entire staff has performed over the last three years, as well as the hard work of parents, students and volunteers to win back provisional accreditation.

But there is still work to do, he acknowledged.

“We will continue to push ahead. This is an opportunity for the community to come together to support the public schools,” Hile said.

Asked when he thinks the district might be fully accredited, Green said by next year “it is realistic for us to be in the conversation” even if the state waits longer to ensure that progress continues.

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