Vol. 41, No. 20
March 15, 2007
CONTACT: JIM MORRIS |
DESE Responds to St. Louis Students’ Concerns
Students and parents in the St. Louis Public Schools have expressed concern about possible negative consequences for college-bound students if the St. Louis school district becomes unaccredited.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education today issued the following statement to address those concerns:
- State education officials believe that students who graduate from an unaccredited school district have valid diplomas.
- The fact that a school district is unaccredited should not disqualify any student from admission to a higher education institution or from eligibility for financial aid, if the student is otherwise qualified.
- Higher education institutions typically consider several sources of information about prospective students (transcripts, ACT/SAT score, recommendations, etc.). The accreditation status of the school district is unlikely to be a significant factor.
These issues are not addressed by state law. As far as state education officials are concerned, students aspiring to attend college should not be negatively affected if their school district becomes unaccredited. However, because colleges and universities may set their own criteria for admissions and financial aid, it is possible that students could encounter obstacles in some cases.