Accreditation Agency Aware Of Wake Schools' Past Merit, Rejects Board's Requests

In a letter to the Wake County School Board, a Georgia-based accrediting agency says it will not grant the system's request for preferential treatment based on past merit.

The Board had sent a letter to AdvancED on Thursday noting the system's "stellar" 70-year history should be taken into account during its review process.

"The reviews have shown what we all know -- that our high schools unquestionably meet the criteria for accreditation," the letter read. "The hope is that you take into account this critical background ... as you consider this letter and the Board's perspective."

AdvancED has been looking into the school system since the NAACP filed a complaint regarding the board's controversial assignment policies that would transition the County's lauded busing policy to a neighborhood school system.

The agency says it has been met with opposition from the Wake County School Board during the review process.

"AdvancED recognizes the history and tradition of the Wake County Schools." AdvancED President and CEO Mark Elgard wrote in the letter sent Friday. "However accreditation is a process focused on improvement of an institution's future."

"In your letter you are asking for us to deviate from the policies and procedures that guide our work with all other school systems and their institutions. As indicated earlier, we respectfully decline your requests."

In an email addressed to Elgard, Wake County School Board attorney Ann Majestic explained that the board's desired to have legal council present is due to the nature of the review. However, AdvancED insisted that legal council was a normal request during a review because the review is not a legal matter.

"[W]e believe that legal counsel should be allowed to be present because the complaint involves accusations against individual board members as well as allegations raised in a legal challenge filed by the NAACP with the Office for Civil Rights," Majestic wrote. "The Board is ... concerned that you intend to inquire into matters that are presently subject to threatened litigation and investigation by the [Office of Civil Rights]."

Elgard assured that the current investigation by the Office of Civil Rights is not a matter of AdvancED's review. Regardless, the agency did grant the Board approval to have legal council present, but only in the capacity of an observer.

"We have conducted reviews of schools and school systems that are concurrently involved in a legal matter," Elgard said. "Our teams are instructed to refrain from any comment or observation related to the legal matter."

"For those individuals of the Board and Senior Leadership that desire legal counsel present, one may be present but only as an observer. If this is not satisfactory the individual has the right to decline to participate."

AdvancED will conduct a review of the Wake County School system Feb. 17 through 18, provided the Board decides to maintain the system's accreditation through the agency.

"[I]t is our hope that the Review Team will have the full cooperation of the leadership of the school system so that a fair and objective visit can be conducted," Elgard said.

Margiotta says he does not have a problem with AdvancEd looking at the high schools, but he does have a problem with them questioning the board.

"In the past all they have done is come in and review the performance of our high schools, and that's all we are asking for them to do," Margiotta said. "But we do not see any reason for them to question the board."

In-coming Superintendent Tony Tata made it clear he had not been a part of the decision making, but is open to looking at AdvancEd's policies.

"My advice would be to hang the egos at the door and think about what is best for the students," Tata said.

If the school system's accreditation is withdrawn, Elgard says AdvancED would recommend the system to do so effective the end of the school year "so the current class of seniors in Wake County high schools is not affected by such a decision."

Loss of accreditation differs from state to state, Elgard explained, but the overall impact is that it makes students less competitive in the highly competitive arena of college admissions.

Regarding possible loss of accreditation, school board member Dr. Ann McLaurin said, "There really are a lot of ramifications and it’s a position we really shouldn’t be in at this point."

Some states, like Florida and California, will only accept students who graduate from accredited high schools. In addition, scholarship programs require students receive a diploma from an accredited high school.

If the school system was to lose its accreditation, McLaurin says parents may decide to send their children to high schools elsewhere so they can take classes at accredited schools.

She also says there is the possibility that loss of accreditation could hurt teacher retention and recruitment at in Wake County.

But, there is also another factor at play in this situation.

"We have a new superintendent who is starting Feb. 1, and it would be ideal to have him weigh in on this," McLaurin said. "He should be a participant in this."

Before AdvancEd comes to town the school boards' attorney will look at the response letter from the accreditation agency, and the board will decide whether they want to keep fighting AdvancEd.