WASHINGTON – A report has found a pattern of allowing students to graduate with extreme absences at a Washington, D.C. high school.
The investigation found that administrators at Ballou High School pressured teachers to pass students despite their grade or the number of unexcused absences. It also pointed to an inappropriate or excessive use of credit recovery courses, which allows students to make up missed work.
News outlets report that Chancellor Antwan Wilson called the findings from the report troubling, and said he'd wished he learned about the school's problems sooner.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered the review into absentee policies and graduation rates after reports surfaced in November that dozens of students at Ballou High School graduated in 2017 without meeting requirements.
A district-wide report is expected at the end of the month.