DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Iowa school regulators have temporarily removed the top two officials in the Davenport school district amid concerns about inequities in discipline for minority students, inadequate special education and school safety. The State Board of Education decided Friday to replace Superintendent Robert Kobylski and Chief Financial Officer Claudia Wood while the district rectifies deficiencies.

The Des Moines Register reports that the Iowa Department of Education says Davenport schools have failed to make progress on goals outlined by the state over the past three years. The agency called the decision “a critical step” toward ensuring a quality education in a safe and secure environment.