SACS: State Should Consider Accreditation Intervention

By Odette Yousef

Atlanta, GA – The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools says Georgia should consider ways to intervene more forcefully when school districts get into trouble. Governor Sonny Perdue has recently begun looking into such options, after Clayton County lost its accreditation this week.

The state helped Clayton County conduct required audits, and the governor appointed two liaisons to support school board members. But Bert Brantley, Perdue's spokesperson, says the governor was frustrated that he couldn't do more:

BRANTLEY: There needs to be a way that we can protect home rule and local control, but also give the state a way to get more involved in a situation like this, and help a system ensure that their accreditation is maintained

Mark Elgart, President of SACS, agrees, but says the state will have to provide steady and sustainable resources for the intervention:

ELGART: It is a financial commitment, and I've seen states that have exercised the idea, but not funded it. And in those cases, virtually all of those cases, it has little or no impact.

A constitutional amendment may be needed to give the state more authority to intervene.