Springfield School Chief Supports Quicker Take-Over of KC Schools January 26, 2012

From the Springfield News Leader via johncombest:
The Springfield public schools superintendent threw his support for behind a House bill aimed at fixing failing schools in Missouri.
Superintendent Norm Ridder told members of a House committee that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education needs more flexibility in dealing with struggling districts like the one in Kansas City. That school system has lost its accreditation in September, making it the third unaccredited district in Missouri.
Ridder said the fix is needed because efforts to restore accreditation to those districts could end up siphoning off resources for districts around the state.
“I don’t want that to happen,” Ridder said.
House Bill 1174, which is sponsored by Rep. Mike Lair of Chillicothe, shortens the period of time between when a district loses accreditation and when DESE can step in and assist the schools. It also allows the department more leeway in bringing the school back into accreditation, such as determining the district’s governance.
He said one of the biggest regrets he had from those struggling schools was that school officials didn’t act soon enough, sometimes because egos got in the way of doing what was right.
Lair’s bill, Ridder said, would provide some quick action to help the Kansas City district.
“It needs governance, it needs leadership and it needs to happen now,” Ridder said.
Springfield is the largest accredited district in Missouri with more than 24,000 enrolled students.