BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Public schools in Kansas City, Missouri are getting an "F" for effort. The district lost its accreditation, yesterday, after failing to meet any of the state's 11 performance records. Officials now have two years to fix a problem that has already taken a lot of time and money. More now from Michael Mahoney of our affiliate KMBC.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Kansas City, Missouri School District is now unaccredited.</s>MICHAEL MAHONEY, KMBC REPORTER (voice-over): Which mean the quality of the school system here is too low for state approval. So they have to improve, or risk a takeover by the State Board of Education.</s>DR. ROBERT BARTMAN, MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: Over the next two years, they are able to reorganize themselves, get the focus and intensity that's absolutely necessary if they are going to meet at least provisional accreditation.</s>MAHONEY: To do that, the district will have to drastically improve its test scores. That's why they are emphasizing reading now at all levels and some other basics.</s>BENJAMIN DEMPS, SUPERINTENDENT: Reduce the absentee rate, reduce the dropout rate, get more kids into vocational schools, and get them to complete it, and help them get jobs.</s>MAHONEY: Up to now, a federal court effort to desegregate the school system and improve student scores has only been marginally successful. They spent $2 billion over the last 15 years, $130 of it on administration, $270 on new buildings, $127 million on teacher salaries, and $10 million on lawyers. They are still short on teachers, test scores are below average and the district is unaccredited.</s>CARSON ROSS, MISSOURI STATE ASSEMBLY: There is not a direct correlation between money and the quality of an education because we've seen district after district operate on half the amount of money that Kansas City is operating under.</s>HEMMER: Again, that story from Michael Mahoney and our affiliate in Kansas City, KMBC.
Kansas City, Missouri Public Schools Lose Accreditation