Education commissioner reconvenes St. Louis panel

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Missouri's education commissioner is reconvening a special committee to provide advice about the future direction of the St. Louis public schools.

In 2006, a committee co-chaired by St. Louis leaders William Danforth and Frankie Freeman contributed to the State Board of Education's decision to classify the school district as unaccredited.

Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro on Thursday asked the original five-member committee to report back in about a year on the status of the schools and factors needed to regain accreditation. The school district currently has an appointed school board after the elected board was stripped of its powers.

Nicastro said she's seen modest improvements in the district, long plagued with academic, financial and governance issues.