Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Dr. Kelvin Adams, superintendent of St. Louis Public Schools
Yesterday, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recommended the St. Louis Public Schools be considered to regain full accreditation, following sustained improvement and stable leadership. The State Board of Education will vote on the matter next Tuesday, January 10.
In a statement to SLM, Gov. Jay Nixon said, "While we await the state board's final decision next week, it is clear that thanks to the leadership and dedication of [Superintendent Dr. Kelvin Adams] and his team, St. Louis Public Schools have made remarkable progress. That reflects the progress we've made statewide—this year, no Missouri school district scored in the unaccredited range, despite those standards becoming tougher and more rigorous."
Tomorrow, Nixon plans to visit the district's Mason Elementary School, where he will meet with Adams, principal Deb Leto, and district special administrative board member Richard Gaines. He also plans to address local leaders in the school's library.
Mike McShane, director of education policy for the Show-Me Institute, acknowledges the district's improved attendance and graduation rates but believes there's room for improvement elsewhere. "They're not nothing, but I would like to see a little more movement on the academic achievement," he says, referring to the district's latest state test scores, which show about 37 percent of students scored at least proficient in English and about 26 percent in math. "That's not what I think of as an accredited school district."
The district was stripped of accreditation in 2007 and gained provisional accreditation in 2012, a victory often credited to Adams, who's in his ninth year as the district's superintendent.
Missouri State Teachers Association executive director Bruce Moe commended the district's administrators and staff: "This positive step forward shows that when we provide assistance and resources, Missouri districts can and will succeed. When it comes to performance, being proactive rather than reactive will keep our schools from facing future accreditation challenges."
Editor's note: This story was updated at 12:30 p.m. with additional comments and at 3 p.m. with information on Gov. Jay Nixon's visit to the district.
