By DORIE TURNER
Associated Press Writer

ATLANTA (AP) Khoa Nguyen is one relieved high school valedictorian.

The 17-year-old graduated the top of his class from Morrow High School in Clayton County on Friday after months of uncertainty over whether his diploma would be from an accredited district. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools restored the 48,000-student district's certification earlier this month, easing the fears of many antsy students that their diplomas would be worthless.

``The first thought in my mind was 'Oh, thank God,''' Nguyen said about hearing the news May 1 that Clayton County had accreditation again after being without it for eight months. ``I think it does have a sense of worth behind it, knowing your school is worth something when compared with other schools.''

Nguyen, who will attend the Savannah College of Art and Design's Atlanta campus in the fall to major in video game design, is one of about 2,200 seniors getting diplomas from Clayton County high schools Friday and Saturday. On Friday, Nguyen and his Morrow High classmates lined up in green and white gowns at the Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta for their graduation ceremony.

``I'm happy the school system got its accreditation back so all the hard work the children went through won't go to waste,'' said Nina Pierce of Hampton, as she prepared to watch her daughter, Amber Williams, and stepdaughter, Isha Pierce, graduate. ``I was definitely nervous at first. I didn't think they were going to pull it off.''

Clayton County schools lost accreditation with the Atlanta-based national accrediting agency in September, putting students at risk of being ineligible for admission to some colleges and for some scholarships. SACS blamed the district's woes on a ``fatally flawed'' school board that harassed school employees, meddled in the day-to-day operations of schools and frequently squabbled during meetings.

All nine members of the board have since been removed or have resigned, and the district's new superintendent, Edmond Heatley, is set to take over July 1.

The district is on probation with SACS, which means it has to submit progress reports to the agency over the next two years and host monitors from the accrediting agency to prove the schools are meeting standards. Should problems resurface, the district could again lose accreditation.

The restored badge of approval paves the way for the 59-school district to regain millions in state and federal funds lost after an exodus of about 3,000 students over the accreditation crisis. School officials estimate the district will lose $33 million because of the enrollment loss.

On the Net:

Clayton County Public Schools: http://www.clayton.k12.ga.us/index2.asp

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)