North Atlanta Receives Top Accreditation Rating, But APS Probation Still in Effect

North Atlanta High School received the top accreditation rating from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools this week, but the school remains under the overall APS accreditation probation.

A SACS quality assurance review team visited North Atlanta this week, said Jennifer H. Oliver of AdvancED, SACS' umbrella organization. "The visit was positive, but the high schools in APS remain on probation," she said. She said North Atlanta was aware when the team visited that "its status would remain on probation."

"We just completed our SACS Quality Assurance Review and we received the highest possible rating — fully accredited," school Principal Mark MyGrant said in an e-mail to parents. " I would like to thank everyone for making this review process such a success. We received many positive comments, and I will share the complete report when we receive it from AdvancED in 30 days. "  

Oliver said North Atlanta received its regular SACS accreditation review, which occurs every five years. She said the team of outside educators "analyzes how a school is doing in meeting standards."

Earlier this year, AdvancED imposed the accreditation probation on APS and its high schools because of dissension on the Atlanta school board. The board is working to meet a set of AdvancED conditions to maintain the high schools' accreditation.