Nonprofit Mississippi News Although no students attended school this week because of water pressure problems throughout the city, the Jackson Public Schools District board approved Tuesday a plan to address these systemic issues. The corrective action plan (or CAP) for the district was approved by the Board of Trustees one week before the deadline. It outlines the steps to be taken to address the findings of an audit that found the district in violation of 75% of state accreditation standards. The board heard from leaders last month that the biggest problems facing the district are retaining and hiring licensed teachers, and upgrading the district’s older buildings to meet state standards. William Merritt, executive director of school improvement, reiterated this statement on Tuesday. He said there are some standards around student teacher ratios, instructional management systems, special education, and other issues that could prove difficult to meet. Merritt stated that the common thread is having qualified staff to implement these standards. The board has approved the plan. Now, the district must submit its CAP to Mississippi Department of Education by January 16. The plan will be submitted to the State Board of Education on February 15 for approval. The board also announced that it will start a search to find a full-time superintendent. It issued a request for proposals for outside consultants to assist with the search process. Freddrick Murray, the current interim superintendent, addressed the “crisis” surrounding water pressure in schools during the meeting. On Tuesday afternoon, district officials announced that the district would be closing for the third consecutive day because of low or no water pressure. This issue is affecting the entire city of Jackson. Officials from the city confirmed Tuesday morning that 119 water mains had burst since January 1, and that crews are working diligently to fix them. According to the district’s data, 61% of schools have no, low, or inadequate water pressure. Murray explained to the board that the question of when schools will resume is dependent on water pressure. “Right now, we have around 40 sites involved. It’s difficult to manage that many schools,” Murray stated. Murray stated that there are a number of options for the district to make up lost days. These include adding more time to school days or requiring some Saturday school. However, they have not yet decided on the best route.