By Marshall Griffin, St. Louis Public Radio
Jefferson City, Mo. – It will likely be several years before the city of St. Louis can regain control of its public schools, based on a report made today before the State Board of Education.
A special advisory committee is recommending that an elected school board be put back in place after the St. Louis School district regains accreditation, and only gradually over a number of years.
State Education Board member Peter Herschend of Branson added that the district should be fully accredited when that process takes place, not provisionally.
"This is my opinion, to take a school district and say, 'Well, you're getting a "D," but that's good enough'...that's not good enough," Herschend said.
But fellow State Education Board Member Stan Archie of Kansas City disagreed.
"Once we recognize the challenge, put in place a system that is leading toward the mobility that we're looking for, then I think that transition, in my opinion, should start before we get to the finish line," Archie said.
Archie also expressed doubts about the current system, saying that a school board with well-functioning local leaders would serve St. Louis better than a state-run appointed board.
The State Board of Education is expected to vote on the recommendation at its next meeting in November.