(AP) The superintendent of Kansas City public schools says a Missouri Supreme Court ruling and an inadequate student transfer law threaten to take away healthy neighborhood schools for thousands of urban students.

Superintendent R. Stephen Green says Tuesday’s court ruling upholding a state law that requires unaccredited schools to pay for students to attend class elsewhere was not surprising. At a news conference Tuesday, he said the district doesn’t think any transfers will happen before the 2014-2015 school year.

Green said inaction by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to change the district’s accreditation status has been devastating and threatens every accomplishment its students have made.

Kansas City’s school district has been unaccredited since 2012, but student transfers have been on hold because of the legal challenge.

 

(AP)The Missouri Supreme Court has again upheld a law requiring unaccredited school districts to pay for students who chose to attend elsewhere.

The court’s unanimous decision Tuesday applies to the Kansas City School District and its suburban neighbors. A similar ruling earlier this year dealt with St. Louis area schools.

A 1993 Missouri law requires unaccredited school districts to cover the costs for students to attend nearby accredited schools.

Kansas City’s school district has been unaccredited since 2012, but student transfers have been on hold because of the legal challenge.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected an assertion that the student transfer law amounted to an unfunded mandate that violated the state constitution.