For several years, public schools in the city of St. Louis have been operating unaccredited. This means that according to the state of Missouri and No Child Left Behind, a federal law, these schools have not met and are not meeting certain standards of education, such as graduation rate, attendance, ACT scores, and end-of-course exams.
Many University City residents are afraid of our school district suffering the same fate. According to several district stakeholders, this is not the case.

“It is important for people to understand that we are fully accredited according to the State of Missouri,” said school board member Ellen Bern. “Our problem is that we aren’t scoring nearly as well as we should on tests like the ACT and end-of-course exams.”

So if University City is not meeting all of the requirements that it should be, what are the requirements?

“According to No Child Left Behind,” said Bern, “by 2014 schools should be 100% proficient in each category.”

This means that, in three short years, every single student of every single school should score proficiently in every singe area of accreditation. Last school year, University City High School scored a 47% proficiency level in communication arts, while the standard for that year was 67.4%. “Proficiency’ is gauged by Adequate Yearly Progress on MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) state tests administered every year in specified grade levels.

It is fair to note that over the past eight years this proficiency level has increased over 30% from 16.4%. However, if we continue to improve in such a manner, in 2014 we will be at a 62.4 % proficiency level, a far cry indeed from the required 100%.

The picture is even grimmer for mathematics. Last school year, University City scored a mere 21.3% proficiency level, only a third of the required 63.3%. What is the school district doing to combat such statistics? Several measures are being taken, according to Mr. Wernentin, principal.

“We are identifying key areas in the subjects and focusing on those areas,” he said. “We offer academic assistance and attempt to educate not only the students, but also their parents on how to help their children succeed. We also offer ACT prep classes and pay for the seniors’ tests.”

So far this all makes sense, but some think the district should be focusing on other target areas for accreditation.

“I think we shouldn’t put so much emphasis on things like the ACT,” argued one teacher. “It’s just too big of a change to focus on. We should be focusing more on graduation rates and attendance… itty bitty changes versus gigantic changes.”

“It’s all a piece of the puzzle,” said Wernentin in reply. “Each area is worth an accreditation point… the ACT is our central area of focus, and we are making gains in each category.”

It is important for the people of University City to realize, above all else, that the district is accredited. We may not be safely accredited, but we are still accredited.

According to a letter sent home to parents by Superintendent Wilson in September, “we are entering our second year of aggressive academic reform” and we are achieving significant gains for African American and free and reduced lunch subgroups.” In addition, on a district-wide level, scores increased in all MAP and EOC (end-of-course exams) standards.

“My hope is that next year we will have two more points,” Bern said. “In two years I think we can become comfortably accredited. Not provisionally accredited- fully accredited.”

For several years, public schools in the city of St. Louis have been operating unaccredited. This means that according to the state of Missouri and No Child Left Behind, a federal law, these schools have not met and are not meeting certain standards of education, such as graduation rate, attendance, ACT scores, and end-of-course exams. Many University City residents are afraid of our school district suffering the same fate. According to several district stakeholders, this is not the case.

“It is important for people to understand that we are fully accredited according to the State of Missouri,” said school board member Ellen Bern. “Our problem is that we aren’t scoring nearly as well as we should on tests like the ACT and end-of-course exams.”

So if University City is not meeting all of the requirements that it should be, what are the requirements?“According to No Child Left Behind,” said Bern, “by 2014 schools should be 100% proficient in each category.”

This means that, in three short years, every single student of every single school should score proficiently in every singe area of accreditation.

Last school year, University City High School scored a 47% proficiency level in communication arts, while the standard for that year was 67.4%. “Proficiency’ is gauged by Adequate Yearly Progress on MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) state tests administered every year in specified grade levels. It is fair to note that over the past eight years this proficiency level has increased over 30% from 16.4%. However, if we continue to improve in such a manner, in 2014 we will be at a 62.4 % proficiency level, a far cry indeed from the required 100%.

The picture is even grimmer for mathematics. Last school year, University City scored a mere 21.3% proficiency level, only a third of the required 63.3%. What is the school district doing to combat such statistics? Several measures are being taken, according to Mr. Wernentin, principal.

“We are identifying key areas in the subjects and focusing on those areas,” he said. “We offer academic assistance and attempt to educate not only the students, but also their parents on how to help their children succeed. We also offer ACT prep classes and pay for the seniors’ tests.”

So far this all makes sense, but some think the district should be focusing on other target areas for accreditation.“I think we shouldn’t put so much emphasis on things like the ACT,” argued one teacher.

“It’s just too big of a change to focus on. We should be focusing more on graduation rates and attendance… itty bitty changes versus gigantic changes.”

“It’s all a piece of the puzzle,” said Wernentin in reply. “Each area is worth an accreditation point… the ACT is our central area of focus, and we are making gains in each category.”

It is important for the people of University City to realize, above all else, that the district is accredited. We may not be safely accredited, but we are still accredited.

According to a letter sent home to parents by Superintendent Wilson in September, “we are entering our second year of aggressive academic reform” and we are achieving significant gains for African American and free and reduced lunch subgroups.”

In addition, on a district-wide level, scores increased in all MAP and EOC (end-of-course exams) standards.

“My hope is that next year we will have two more points,” Bern said. “In two years I think we can become comfortably accredited. Not provisionally accredited — fully accredited.”