U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is urging the Atlanta school board to "get its act together" after a major accrediting agency put the school district on probation.
Duncan said he met with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed on Monday before attending an event at Morehouse College. He said board members have "lost sight of why they were elected."
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools put the district on probation this month and urged it to take six steps by Sept. 30 to keep its accreditation.
Losing that status can strip the district of millions of dollars in grant money and could put students at risk of not gaining admission to colleges.