Dear SLPS Team Members, Families, and Community Partners,

We want to share an important update regarding the accreditation status of Saint Louis Public Schools.

Today, we were informed that the Missouri State Board of Education voted to reclassify SLPS’s accreditation to provisionally accredited from fully accredited. While we are disappointed by this outcome, SLPS remains steadfast and resolute in its commitment to moving the district forward and restoring full accreditation.

Under the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s MSIP 6 framework, accreditation is typically based on two consecutive three-year APR composites, and while the Missouri State Board of Education conducts an annual statewide vote, status changes outside of a designated composite review year are not typical.

It is important to be clear about what this decision means—and what it does not mean.

Provisional accreditation does not change our ability to operate schools, educate students, graduate seniors, employ staff, or provide services. Our schools remain open, our students continue learning, and our work continues uninterrupted. This designation does not indicate a loss of local governance or control, nor does it diminish the dedication, professionalism, and daily efforts of our educators and staff.

What provisional accreditation does mean is that the state expects continued progress and sustained improvement in areas we have already identified and begun addressing—academic performance, financial stewardship, operational stability, and organizational culture. These are priorities your Board of Education and district leadership have been actively addressing with urgency and purpose.

We also want to acknowledge that, based on our understanding of today’s proceedings, SLPS was uniquely singled out for provisional accreditation through an amendment to a broader motion that addressed multiple districts facing similar challenges. District leadership intends to formally inquire about the nature and rationale of that decision. At the same time, we will not allow this outcome to distract us from the work ahead.

Under the guidance of our Board of Education and new district leadership, SLPS is focused on stability, accountability, and progress. We are committed to moving beyond the circumstances that influenced this decision and to demonstrating—through action and results—that SLPS is on a clear and sustainable path to full accreditation.

To our staff: your work matters, and it is seen. To our families and community: our commitment to your children and to this city has not wavered. This moment does not define SLPS—our response to it will.

Thank you for your continued dedication, partnership, and belief in our students and our schools.

Sincerely,

Dr. Myra Berry
Interim Superintendent
Saint Louis Public Schools