MD Grade Changing Investigation: Balt. City Schools Alerts 90,000 Students That Records Subpoenaed

BALTIMORE (WBFF) - Baltimore City Public Schools is in the process of alerting thousands of parents that their children’s grades have become part of a state grade changing investigation.

On January 25th, North Avenue sent a letter to thousands of Baltimore families. More letters are scheduled to go out in the coming days. The letters explain how City Schools was served a subpoena in a grade changing investigation, and their children's records are now involved. The subpoena was issued by Maryland’s Inspector General of Education, Rick Henry...

https://foxbaltimore.com/news/project-baltimore/grade-changing-investigation-city-schools-alerts-90000-students-that-records-subpoenaed?fbclid=IwAR3Grp9vyF4JuYJx24hDUTFWPiRxrzLQWm2jEkU43sTlTLlsMNA3upaTFSg

MARYLAND OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR EDUCATION

Richard P. Henry, Inspector General (appointed by Governor, Attorney General & State Treasurer to 5-year term with Senate advice & consent), 2025

100 Community Place, 4th floor, Crownsville, MD 21032
(410) 697-9692
e-mail: richard.henry@maryland.gov

To report educational fraud, waste, & abuse: 1-844-OIGETIP
e-mail: oige.tips@maryland.gov

https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/25ind/html/47inspect.html

Unredacted report recommends Baltimore City Schools 'eliminate' grade changing

It’s only two sentences, but says a lot. After nearly two years, following a judge’s orders, Baltimore City Public Schools has finally un-redacted portions of an internal grade changing investigation it didn’t want the public to read.

“What it tells me is that what you uncovered, what Project Baltimore uncovered, the rounding up of grades is something that has been going on for a while and they didn’t want you or anyone else to get into the details of it,” said Clarence Mitchell IV, or C4, who hosts one of the region’s most listened to radio talk shows.

Mitchell is a former state Senator and grandson of a civil rights icon. Baltimore’s courthouse has his name on it. And he’s been paying close attention to Fox45’s public records lawsuit against City Schools.

“It makes me mad. It should make all of us mad,” said Mitchell...

https://foxbaltimore.com/news/project-baltimore/unredacted-report-recommends-city-schools-eliminate-grade-changing

Thousands more A’s fill report cards in suburban Md. school system

Thousands of additional students in Montgomery County are getting A’s in key high school classes, an apparent case of grade inflation in Maryland’s largest school system that follows major changes in how students are evaluated.

New data show the percentage of A’s across core math courses nearly doubled from the first semester of 2014-2015 to last school year, rising from 16 percent to almost 32 percent. B’s rose more modestly while C’s, D’s and E’s dipped.

Similarly, more students got A’s in English, science and Advanced Placement courses, in a profusion of high marks that is stirring concerns that students and parents may be getting a false sense of proficiency. Some educators and parents place blame on that significant policy shift two years ago...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/thousands-more-as-fill-report-cards-in-suburban-md-school-system/2018/09/22/9ddcc686-bce1-11e8-b7d2-0773aa1e33da_story.html?utm_term=.5f27d696d06e

Report questions grade changes in Prince George’s

State education officials say they are deeply concerned about the findings of an investigation into alleged grade-fixing in Maryland’s second-largest school district.

An audit released Friday says almost 5,000 students graduating from Prince George’s County schools this year and last year had late grade increases after final cutoff dates.

A sampling of roughly 1,200 students from that group found that the late changes affected final grades for more than 400 students. Half of them had grade changes with no documentation, and scores more had only limited documentation.

The report also found that many graduates had unlawful absences exceeding 10 days, and that 59 were ineligible to graduate.

Investigators were unable to determine graduation eligibility for almost 300 other students, or one-fourth of the population sample, because of insufficient documentation...

http://thedailyrecord.com/2017/11/03/maryland-graduation-rates-fraud-allegations-2/