Local News
Accreditation answer coming by early 2010
By Trent MooreThe Cullman County Board of Education took a step closer to district accreditation this week, though it will be next year until they know if their request is approved.
A Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accreditation team visited numerous county schools this week and evaluated the system on a variety of overall standards that must be met before the system is approved for district accreditation.
The visiting team met with more than 300 principals, teachers, students and community members throughout the week to evaluate the school system.
“Our job was to examine as to what extent the school system met the (SACS) standards and put together a report,” team chair Dr. Denny Jennings said. “You all are to be commended for pursuing this.”
The visiting team’s report, as well as their recommendation as to whether the district should be accredited, will then go before the accreditation commission in January 2010.
Jennings declined to elaborate on what her team’s recommendation will be to the SACS accreditation committee.
“We’re still finalizing and fleshing some things out, so I would rather not comment on that,” she said.
During the team’s exit report given this week, the team noted a handful of commendations, as well as recommendations for the system to consider in the future.
“The school communities exhibit a fierce pride in their schools,” she said. “The district and school staff also exhibit collegial respect for each other.”
Other commendations included open lines of communication between the school board and employees, sound financial stewardship and focused efforts to improve graduation rates.
Recommendations noted by the team included the development of a comprehensive plan, increasing communication between school staff and the community, and more analyzation of student testing data.
A better focus on post-secondary options for students was another recommendation.
“Heighten awareness of the importance of post-secondary education and provide resources for students to pursue those avenues,” Jennings said. “The economy these students will be entering requires more than just a high school diploma.”
Cullman County school board member Jerry Schuman said the board would seriously consider the team’s recommendations.
“We will use these recommendations to improve our schools in the next few years,” he said.
Cullman County Board of Education Superintendent Hank Allen said work is already being done to meet some of the recommendations.
“We’re already working on a strategic plan, so that should go a long way in helping us address some of these other recommendations,” he said.
If the system does receive district accreditation, the 28 separate schools in the county school system will unite as one accredited system next year.
If approved, the change should make the accreditation process more streamlined for the system, as well as save approximately $22,000 in costs related to separate school accreditation.
* Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 225.
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