Clayton County’s school district has full accreditation status, officials announced Tuesday.

Such designations have not been a given for Clayton, the state’s fifth-largest school district.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement revoked Clayton’s accreditation in 2008, in large part due to infighting among school board members. It was the first school system in the nation to lose accreditation in 40 years.

Colleges and universities typically require students to have graduated from an accredited school when considering admission.

Clayton regained its status in 2009, but was put on probation for two years. The district was accredited on advisement in 2013. The council elevated Clayton’s status from advisement to accredited, based on a progress report the district submitted earlier this year, Clayton officials said in a news release.

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Students stand on a balcony at the John Lewis Student Center on the campus of  Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

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Members of the conversion crew take a break as the main scoreboard is lowered to the floor to be worked on as the arena gets ready for the next concert at State Farm Arena, Thursday, October 2, 2025, in Atlanta. The crew was working on creating a stage for the Friday, Oct. 3 Maxwell concert. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com