PGCPS reports graduation gains and launches multiyear school renaming process

Superintendent House told the Board of Education on Feb. 27 that the class of 2024 graduation rate rose to just over 80%, a 5.6-percentage-point increase from the prior year, and highlighted notable subgroup improvements as the district begins a multiyear process to engage communities on renaming several schools.

House credited targeted supports for subgroup gains: Hispanic graduation rates increased from 59.7% to 71.3% (a roughly 11.6-point rise) and English learners rose by 14.6 points to 66.9%, while African American students saw more modest gains. House framed the progress as evidence of the district’s focus on academic excellence and singled out Kettering Middle School nurse Egypt Middleton as Maryland's school nurse of the year, the first PGCPS recipient and the first African American woman to receive that honor.

In the same report, House announced PGCPS will begin a multi-year community engagement and selection process to consider renaming several schools so that school names align with district values. He referenced the school-naming commission created in 2020 and stated the commission has reviewed whether names honor principles the district seeks to uplift or reflect historical practices of systemic oppression. House said the district expects to pursue the renaming work without requiring the specific budget amendment that had been proposed by some board members and invited community participation in forthcoming sessions.

Public comment at the meeting reflected divided views: several residents warned that the cost of renaming (as cited by commenters during public comment) and certain board amendments conflicted with the district's budget deficit, while others praised proposals for literacy labs and increased supports. Board members said they would coordinate with the superintendent to spread renaming costs over multiple years and fully engage communities before any expenditures or formal changes.

The report also noted PGCPS's advocacy in Annapolis to protect state funding and outreach sessions for immigrant families; the district will provide more details on renaming engagement and timeline in coming months.