For the second time in less than three months, a St. Louis area school has lost its accreditation.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on Thursday voted to lift the accreditation for the 8,000-student Riverview Gardens School District.
The vote was 7-0 with newly appointed member Derio Gambaro abstaining. He was sworn-in earlier Thursday.
The district will be considered unaccredited beginning July 1.
Unlike leaders in the St. Louis Public School District, which lost its accreditation earlier this year, Riverview Gardens leaders are excited.
Co-interim superintendents Rhonda Key and Dr. Natalie Thomas call Thursday’s action a “rebirth.”
Poor test scores and a rapid decline in finances prompted the decision.
Superintendent Dr. Henry Williams was suspended earlier this year for alleged financial mismanagement.
But Key and Thomas see this as a chance to improve and to work their way back to full accreditation.
Unlike St. Louis Schools, there will not be a state takeover and the elected school board will still govern.
Students at Riverview Gardens are eligible to transfer to other public school districts. The transfers would be paid for by Riverview Gardens.