Missouri takes steps toward changing how it accredits its schools

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A proposal to revamp how Missouri accredits public schools has been stripped of several changes that angered education groups.

The Missouri State Board of Education took a step Tuesday toward approving new accreditation standards when it approved their publication. Final approval is expected in December.

The initial proposal had called for several new statewide tests and would have included information on how districts' graduates fared in their pursuit of college degrees.

The revamped proposal dropped several proposed new tests. Plus, information on how students fare in college won't be included in the accreditation report. School officials had said they don't have control over students once they graduate.

The state also will make accreditation dependent on districts showing they don't ignore instruction in physical education and fine arts.