Vol. 41, No. 45
June 15, 2007
CONTACT: JIM MORRIS |
Temporary Restraining Order Is Denied:
“Transitional School Board” Takes Over St. Louis Public Schools Today
Cole County Circuit Court Judge Richard Callahan last night (June 14) denied a legal petition by the St. Louis Public Schools that sought to prevent the district’s loss of accreditation and to prevent a new governing board from assuming authority over the school district this morning.
The ruling clears the way for an unprecedented intervention into the operations of the state’s largest, and long-troubled, public school district. It currently enrolls about 34,000 students.
Judge Callahan rejected the school district’s request for a temporary restraining order that would have blocked actions by the State Board of Education that were set to take effect today. As a result, the school district is unaccredited, effective today, and the stage is set for a three-person “transitional school board” to take over the operations of the district.
The school district had challenged the State Board of Education’s March 22 decision to de-accredit the district, primarily because the district only met four out of 14 state standards for academic performance.
In addition to low academic performance, state education officials have been concerned about the district’s mounting financial problems, rapid turnover in district leadership in recent years, and ongoing turmoil on the local board of education.
“We are pleased with this ruling,” said Commissioner of Education D. Kent King.
“The court affirmed the standards and the process that we used to evaluate the school district. In this case, the data clearly show that St. Louis has been losing ground in academic performance. We feel that state action is not only justified, but also necessary, to get this school district back on track toward serving students, parents and the community more effectively,” King said.
“We will do our best to support the work of the transitional school board and to work cooperatively with city, school district and community leaders to stabilize the district and rebuild public confidence in the school system,” he said.