Francis Howell Schools Chosen to Receive Students from Unaccredited District

A recent Missouri Supreme Court decision means that buses rolling into Francis Howell School District on August 8 won't be just Francis Howell buses. 

Some of those buses will be from Normandy School District in St. Louis County.

Francis Howell Superintendent of Schools Dr. Pam Sloan sent an email to district parents July 1 to notify them that unaccredited Normandy School District chose Francis Howell as the district where they will be sending students in accordance with the ruling.

Last month's Missouri Supreme Court decision allows students in an unaccredited school district to attend a school in an accredited district, at the expense of the unaccredited district.

As an unaccredited district, Normandy must offer transportation to an accredited district of their choice—Francis Howell—although students aren't limited to attending only that district.

"This law and court ruling will pose challenges for our school district as does all significant change.  I am confident that we will problem-solve these challenges like we do all of our challenges—keeping the interests of our students as the driver of our decision-making," Dr. Sloan said.

"When students arrive from Normandy or Riverview Gardens, we will gladly welcome them and begin our work with them like we do with all of our students when school starts on August 08."

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Normandy considered several factors in making the choice, including academics, space, class size and demographics.