The DeKalb County School District’s accreditation outlook improved Thursday when the system announced its status had risen to “accredited on advisement,” but it is still a work in progress.
The rise from “accredited warned” means DeKalb is one step away from full accreditation.
“It’s progress. We’re almost there,” Superintendent Michael Thurmond said. He was appointed in February 2013, two months after the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools stunned the district by placing it on probation. SACS even threatened to strip accreditation over management issues, such as school board meddling.
The crisis led Gov. Nathan Deal to replace two-thirds of the school board. The General Assembly then eliminated two seats on the board effective this year. In January, only seven, instead of the previous nine, school board members were sworn in.
To attain full accreditation, the school board must revise its policy to “eliminate all references to board members meeting with, and requesting information from senior staff” without prior notification and approval by the superintendent, a district statement said. It added that SACS indicated there was no written policy that specifically prohibits board members from “circumventing the superintendent” in the daily operations of the district.
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