Ferguson-Florissant Welcoming Transfer Cases, Helping Neighbor Schools

The Ferguson-Florissant School District is set to welcome students interested in transferring from unaccredited school districts, but moreso, the district wants to help its neighboring communities become accredited again.

Wednesday night, the Ferguson-Florissant Board of Education approved policy revisions regarding class size and tuition rate calculation. The new policies ensure that unaccredited district students don’t push class sizes beyond the capacity set by Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as well as uses the state’s tuition rate calculation.

The Missouri Supreme Court issued a decision in Breitenfeld v. School District of Clayton last month that has allowed for students in unaccredited school districts such as Normandy and Riverview Gardens school districts to transfer into accredited school districts. Ferguson-Florissant School District is accredited.

Superintendent Art McCoy said as many as 200 students could transfer from nearby Riverview Gardens and Normandy school districts in the 2013-2014 school year. He said that the district already focuses on that approximate amount of students currently through homeless situations.

Yet, he focuses on helping the ailing districts get back on track.

“We’re committed to being good neighbors to Riverview Gardens and Normandy,” he said.

McCoy said that the respective North County districts want to thrive, and he has offered both district superintendents his support.

He said he reached out to share in professional development opportunities, help with student data, mentoring or other opportunities. Overall, the goal is to get the districts back on track and accredited.

“We have to keep these communities strong,” he said. “If the school district goes, the community goes.”