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Update: Sherrill has received SACS CASI accreditation report

Burke County School Board Controversy

More articles about the Burke County School Board Controversy

By Steve Welker | The News Herald

Published: August 31, 2009

Updated: 09/01/2009 01:22 pm

Morganton, NC - Superintendent Rick Sherrill has received SACS CASI's report and recommendations concerning the Burke County Public Schools.
Sherrill said this morning he will present the report, along with recommended actions, at the Sept. 8 school board meeting.
He did not disclose the report's contents.
Sherrill spent much of the morning in Burke County Superior Court where he testified in the school board's lawsuit against the county commissioners. He is expected to return to the witness stand when court resumes at 1:50 p.m.

Jennifer Oliver, vice president-communications, said the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement mailed its report on Thursday.
The report had not arrived as of mid-afternoon Monday, according to sources inside the schools' central office.
Sherrill was in the schools at the time and could not be contacted.
SACS CASI's North Carolina state director on April 24 sent a letter to the then-Superintendent David Burleson. The organization detailed several concerns that actions by the school board or its members may have violated SACS CASI's standards for accreditation.
After receiving additional information about on-going controversies centered on the school board, SACS CASI sent a review team to Morganton. On Aug. 3-4 the team interviewed school administrators and principals, school board members, educators and private citizens. The team finalized its report by the end of that week and sent its recommendations on to SACS CASI's headquarters. From there the recommendations went to the N.C. state council.
The recommendations for Burke County Public Schools could include no change in accreditation; continuing accreditation "under advisement" because of compliance problems involving one of SACS CASI's standards; accreditation "with warning" if the school district is not meeting two or more standards and is not working toward improvement; and changing the accreditation for East Burke, Patton and Freedom high schools.
SACS CASI also could put the schools on probation, still with accreditation, for up to two years while the district works on improvements.
Oliver said SACS CASI urges schools to make its reports fully public.