2008-10-28
Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) joined the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) today to announce the progress being made by students in the Class of 2009 as they work to meet the state’s testing requirement for high school graduation. At the same time, work continues to ensure all students have a chance to meet the graduation requirements.
According to the 2008 Maryland High School Assessment (HSA) results, 76 percent of seniors, who have taken all four HSAs, have passed in PGCPS. Overall, 65 percent of PGCPS students in the Class of 2009 have fulfilled the state’s testing requirements. Additionally, 40 projects have been accepted and sent to the Superintendent for approval as part of the state’s Bridge Plan to Academic Validation. Currently, 1,175 students are enrolled and working on 2,260 Academic Validation projects this fall.
“Our students are demonstrating that they are learning the content needed to graduate prepared for success in college and the workplace,” said Verjeana M. Jacobs, Esq., Chair of the Prince George’s County Board of Education. “However, it is important for parents to know that students must participate in the High School Assessment process in order to receive a diploma and graduate on time.”
School and system level data are available on the MSDE Web site (www.marylandpublicschools.org). When the data was recorded in May, 1,241 PGCPS students were missing at least one HSA exam result, and 336 students had no HSA results. Currently, 1,219 students are missing at least one HSA exam result, and 225 students have no results for any of the four HSAs.
PGCPS is reviewing the records of students who are missing HSA exam results and we will determine if students simply have not taken the exams or if any results are missing. All high schools have communicated with students and sent letters to parents regarding their student’s graduation status. There are two more testing administrations
– January 2009 and April 2009 – prior to graduation this school year.
The 2008-2009 school year is the first year that the majority of students will be required to pass the HSAs in order to receive a Maryland High School Diploma. PGCPS has completed the following to communicate with students and parents since the HSAs began administration in 2003:
- Professional school guidance counselors have been meeting with students in the Class of 2009;
- The school district sent letters to parents describing the student’s progress and needs after each test administration;
- For two years, HSA status has been included on high school report cards;
- Information was available in schools and on the school district’s Web site (http://www1.pgcps.org/hsa/); and
- The school district participated in the County’s Blue Ribbon Committee on High
Stakes Testing.
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