The Leflore County School District has made improvements since its takeover by the state last year, but its accreditation won’t be restored any time soon, Conservator Robert Strebeck said Thursday.
The Associated Press had incorrectly reported Thursday that the district had regained its full accreditation.
Superintendent Viola Williams McCaskill and the school board were removed last year after the district was found to be in violation of 27 process standards by state Department of Education auditors.
“We’ve met 25 of those now,” Strebeck said. “We’re about to meet another one. The last one had to do with an audit finding. It is cleared, but we can’t get a letter of clearance until we do the ’14 audit.”
Once the final two standards are met, the state Accreditation Commission will upgrade the district to “Probation” or “Accreditation” status, Strebeck said.
Jean Cook, public relations director for the state Department of Education, confirmed that the district is still awaiting action by the Accreditation Commission, which won’t happen until all the process standards are met.
The taking over of a district by the state automatically results in the curtailing of athletic activities extending outside the district.
The state Board of Education on Wednesday approved an easing of restrictions on sports programs for districts that are taken over.
Since 2012, state policy has limited schools to only half an athletic season as soon as accreditation was revoked, which had happened automatically when the state takes over a district and installs a conservator to run it. District games are allowed but not playoffs. Cheerleading, dance squads, speech and debate, chorus and band can participate in district or state contests but can’t get ratings. All games and competitions are banned beginning in the third year if accreditation is not regained.
The new rule would impose no penalties in the first year and then would cut extracurricular activities in half during the second year.
Strebeck said the Accreditation Commission is scheduled to meet sometime in December.
He said he didn’t know when the body would act on the district’s accreditation status after it comes into compliance with all the required process standards.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
