Superintendent Jim Ray told board members and those in attendance that the district has a few more things to check off before they are released from probation.
During the meeting, he gave an update on the status of the audit and the status of the accreditation. In the summer of 2019, the district was placed on probation by the Mississippi Department of Education’s Office of Accreditation.
A 41-page audit hand delivered to Board President Kenny DeLoach and former Superintendent Billy Joe Ferguson outlined several violations by the district as a whole, board members and administration. Throughout 2020, the district has worked diligently correcting the things outlined in the audit.
They purchased a PA system, moved all meetings to a central location – the J.Z. George Band Hall, set up a board policy website, made sure that both schools had someone accredited that could take over if the principal was out, set a pay scale, made a district plan, a corrective action plan, just several of the things the district has worked to do.
And slowly, their checklist of things to correct is getting smaller. At the meeting Thursday, board members approved an updated Professional Learning Plan for 2020-2021 and a Corrective Action Plan for 2020-2021.
Ray said MDE sent back the two plans with corrections that were needed. He said those corrections have been made and the revisions will be sent back to MDE. He said some of the things needed for the district to check off, have to be done in person.
“Because of COVID, they’re not sending anyone out. So, I’m not sure when they’ll be able to come and see them,” he said.
But, he’s optimistic they will cleared and the district’s accreditation will be restored.
