Nationwide changes made by school accreditation agency AdvancED, means the Liberty County School System is no longer under the immediate threat of losing their accreditation. LCSS Superintendent Dr. Franklin Perry made the announcement at Tuesday's regular board meeting.

"As of June the 29th, AdvancED has changed their policies which is going to effect us in a good way," Perry said. "AdvancED has added another level to their process. "Before it was accredited, accredited under review and then loss of accreditation. Now they have added accredited under condition, which is now the last level before you lose accreditation."

Perry said the change means the LCSS is no longer at the level that requires a state board of education hearing.

The LCSS was placed under review May 8 due to the behavior of the board. Current state law required the schools to report the status and prepare for a hearing with the state board of education. The law was enacted after the Clayton County School System lost their accreditation due to their governance team. It is a safeguard ensuring school districts, who are doing well academically, don't lose accreditation due to the board.

Perry said the district still plans to seek the assistance of their attorney for additional guidance on the matter since the school system was already scheduled for a state hearing July 19.

Under the former process the hearing with the state would determine the next course of action or whether the state school board would make a recommendation to Governor Nathan Deal for the removal of the current board.

More on this story to follow.