Prince George's County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Prince George's County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
FY 2028 school construction priorities
An update on the public-private partnership building new schools across the county, with school system and construction industry officials briefing the council.
PGCPS Transportation Performance
PGCPS leaders admitted the school year began with a transportation crisis: 40 driver vacancies, heavy daily absenteeism, and a botched routing-system rollout. Fixes include contracted CDL drivers as a bridge, a public performance dashboard, and a December recommendation on routing technology.
Countywide literacy improvement recommendations
The Literacy Commission's preliminary recommendations outline how the county might improve reading skills across age groups. Committee feedback now will shape the final recommendations.
FY 2027 Budget — Community College and Libraries
A $2.2 million federal grant funded a mobile workforce development vehicle bringing job resources to unemployed and underemployed residents, in partnership with Employ Prince George's. After technical delays, regular stops should begin within weeks.
AI and tech career pathways at Bowie State
Bowie State is launching a BS in AI, runs an NSF-funded program paying students for real-world internships (nine placed with county IT), and proposes K-12-to-community-college-to-university pathways, adult upskilling credentials for county staff, and library-based digital literacy programming.
Immigration enforcement's effect on school attendance and enrollment
Four residents told the council about federal immigration officials entering the county and detaining residents; the chair used a point of personal privilege to affirm the council's commitment to protecting the migrant community.
Graduation rates and equity gaps
The class of 2025 graduated at about 79%, but multilingual and Hispanic students lag state counterparts, and students with disabilities at Fairmont Heights have graduated below 50% for years. The district expects this year's rate to reach 80% with summer school gains.
Chronic absenteeism in PGCPS
Roughly one in four students countywide is chronically absent, with the rate at 27.2% overall and 31.7% for Hispanic students this April. The district is responding with a truancy reduction plan, case management, and a community attendance ambassador program.
Student Literacy (PGCPS Literacy Throughline)
Prince George's County Public Schools presented its Literacy Throughline work on reading instruction from elementary through high school. Literacy outcomes shape everything from graduation rates to job readiness.
Literacy Commission Timeline Extension
Prince George's County Public Schools presented its Literacy Throughline work on reading instruction from elementary through high school. Literacy outcomes shape everything from graduation rates to job readiness.
School system Integrity and Compliance Officer
The council ordered a full independent investigation into the county's top ethics watchdog over allegations of a vehicle accident, workplace misconduct, and procedural failures, and placed the officer on paid administrative leave.
Board of Education FY 2027 Budget Request
The school board's portion of the county operating budget was part of the hearing, giving residents a chance to weigh in on school funding before final decisions.
Language immersion program cuts
Language immersion at Greenbelt Middle and Largo High is phasing out, IB early/middle years designations end, and middle school AVID electives go away. Current students finish their cohorts, but no new students can enroll.
School funding share and the wealth index
PGCPS expects over 2,000 fewer students next fall, with federal funding down $24 million. Council Member Harrison noted Montgomery County spends $700 million more on a similar-size district, sparking talk about the county's residential-heavy tax base and whether a fixed percentage of the county budget should go to schools.
Community college growth outpacing funding
PGCC enrollment is booming — non-credit students have doubled since 2021 — but the state's 3% funding cap means less money per student. The college also lost $5.2 million in federal grants, cutting 12 positions.
Mandatory African American Studies Curriculum
The Council formally backed mandatory, comprehensive African American history instruction in every county public school.
Career readiness starting early
A briefing on how prepared county kids are for kindergarten and what childcare funding exists to close gaps. Childcare access and cost is a daily struggle for many working parents in the county.
P3 school construction and community wealth building
The Blueprint Schools Phase II program is on time and on budget, with the first two schools opening this summer. A new community equity program lets residents and school employees invest in the deal for as little as $200, and the project labor agreement is delivering local apprenticeships and union jobs.
Dual enrollment expansion to every county high school
PGCC committed to offering dual enrollment at all county high schools by the 2026-27 school year, and wants to add career and technical education (CTE) dual enrollment for trades students. Committee members discussed whether industry-level certification exams are realistic expectations for high schoolers.
Special education compliance
The county is under review or facing complaints over special education services. The education committee flagged it as a top area needing improvement.