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The agency announced Monday it will be assessed by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. It's the state police's seventh time being assessment by the group. The force will be rated on policy and procedures, management, operations and support services. It has to comply with 364 standards to maintain accreditation.

The assessment runs from April 14 to 17. Illinois State Police was the first state police agency that the commission accredited. That happened in 1986. The commission's accreditation is valid for three years.

State Police Director Hiram Grau says accreditation "sets the tone for excellence and ensures that police service is administered efficiently and professionally."

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Missouri Senate has endorsed a measure that could speed up state intervention in failing school districts.

The bill given initial approval Tuesday night is aimed mainly at the Kansas City School District, which lost its accreditation in January 2012.

Under current law, Missouri officials must wait until at least June 30, 2014, before intervening in the Kansas City district.

The Senate legislation would let the state intervene immediately after a district loses its accreditation. The state Board of Education could prescribe conditions under which the existing local school board could continue to oversee the school, or it could set up an alternative governing structure.

Those alternatives could include creating a special administrative board, merging the district with neighboring ones or splitting the district into several new ones.