Clayton schools celebrate accreditation status

Clayton County’s school district has full accreditation status, officials announced Tuesday.

Such designations have not been a given for Clayton, the state’s fifth-largest school district.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement revoked Clayton’s accreditation in 2008, in large part due to infighting among school board members. It was the first school system in the nation to lose accreditation in 40 years.

Colleges and universities typically require students to have graduated from an accredited school when considering admission.

Clayton regained its status in 2009, but was put on probation for two years. The district was accredited on advisement in 2013. The council elevated Clayton’s status from advisement to accredited, based on a progress report the district submitted earlier this year, Clayton officials said in a news release.

About the Author

Eric Stirgus

Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.

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