State Board Of Education To Lay Out Terms Of Western Heights Probation

The State Board of Education will meet to discuss the terms of probation for the Western Heights School District.

The board sent a letter to the district last week asking that representatives – including Superintendent Mannix Barnes – be in attendance.

Earlier this month the board placed the district on probation after series of complaints including misusing funds, discontinuing meal services for students, and failing to offer in-person learning options for over a year.

Parents and students protested asking for an in-person learning option along with calls for the superintendent and members of the school board to resign.

The letter sent by the State Board of Education said the district must correct several issues within 90 days or face a possible loss of accreditation. It must also implement a plan to address the issues.

The State Board of Education says it offered multiple opportunities to meet with district leaders, but they did not attend. It now says a failure to attend on Thursday will be seen as non-compliance.

The district did resolve one complaint earlier this month, voting to bring students back to the classroom on a split schedule.

The alternating in-person schedule begins on April 26th.