Discovery Center's private school accredited

The Discovery Center of Springfield Inc.'s private school has been accredited – in a reported record time of eight months.

The Missouri Nonpublic School Accrediting Association voted unanimously on accrediting the Discovery School, a private school housed at the Discovery Center downtown that serves pre-K through eighth grade students, according to a news release.

“The accreditation process with the Missouri Nonpublic School Accrediting Association has been and will be instrumental in our school's growth and development," said Rob Blevins, executive director of the Discovery Center of Springfield, in the release. "Through this journey, we have gained valuable insights and implemented improvements that have positively impacted our students' educational experiences.”

The accreditation move allows families of Discovery School students to access MOScholars funding, Blevins said via email. He noted, as well, that the accreditation process with the Missouri Nonpublic School Accrediting Association took eight months, which he said is a record in becoming accredited from start to finish.

An independent accrediting agency, the association is recognized by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.