UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (DC News Now) — Parents are frustrated after learning that nearly three dozen Prince George’s County high school seniors didn’t meet the graduation requirement after a glitch in the system the school uses to verify credits.
With just a few months to high school graduation, parents received a letter from Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) saying:
“It has come to our attention that our Graduation Notification Tool used to verify credits needed to graduate was inaccurate. While your scholar has successfully earned 3 science credits, they are unfortunately missing an Earth and Space science credit needed to graduate in May 2023.”
PGCPS
PGCPS confirmed that 34 students across the county were impacted by this glitch.
Nayo Tolbert’s daughter, a 4.0 student-athlete at Frederick Douglass High School in Upper Marlboro, is one of those students.
“I was like, this can’t be right because she’s in the P tech program at Prince George’s Community College. So this must be a mistake,” said Tolbert. “She said, ‘Mom I’ve been working so hard to keep my grades up, take all my classes,’ and they’re doing this — it’s not right. “
As a solution, an online Earth and Space Science Course is being offered twice a week in the evenings. “This will allow affected students the opportunity to still graduate on time and earn all credits needed,” the letter stated.
Parents like Tolbert said that interferes with their children’s after-school activities and existing assignments.
“It should be waived if it’s indeed just one credit. To make them have to sit through another class for two hours twice a week and be held accountable for the work on top of the schedule that they already have — that’s a lot,” she said.
“My daughter is a phenomenal student. She really works hard to keep her grades up. Is it going to impact her? Yes, as far as time and commitment, having to do the work. It’s going to be difficult. How difficult, I don’t know,” she continued.
In a statement on Thursday PGCPS tells DC News Now:
“We will work with school administrators to communicate with students and families regarding their options. The error will not keep students from graduating. Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) sincerely regrets this incident and the confusion it has caused.”
Parents say they need more clarity if the error won’t keep students from graduating.
“Meaning are you still going to make them sit for two hours, twice a week and be responsible for the additional work that’s going to be associated with that class? That’s the gray area where they’re not addressing,” Tolbert said.
Another parent said to DC News Now that the Board of Education told parents that they’re looking into a resolution and will have an answer for them soon.
