PGCPS, The Superintendent, and Why I Support the Vote of No Confidence
As a parent of a child receiving special education services in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS), I’ve experienced firsthand what so many families across this county are facing: ongoing frustration, broken systems, and a complete lack of accountability for students who require the most support.
Recently, the PGCPS teachers’ union held a vote of no confidence in Superintendent Millard House II. Based on my experience, I fully support their decision and stand with the educators, staff, and families who recognize what is happening behind the scenes — and what continues to happen to children like mine.
My Experience Attempting to Engage the Superintendent
Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, I made multiple direct and formal attempts to engage with Superintendent House and his office. I requested meetings to discuss:
The ongoing failures within the special education department.
Repeated IEP violations and the district’s failure to properly implement required services for my child.
The lack of meaningful interventions, accountability, and transparency within the Office of Special Education.
Specific questions related to the proposed budget and how it impacts special education and legally required services.
Despite multiple written requests submitted directly to his office, I have received no response, no follow-up, and no effort by the superintendent to acknowledge or address my concerns.
When parents cannot get answers, cannot even secure a meeting to discuss violations that directly affect their child’s education and well-being, it speaks to the larger problem within the leadership of this district.
A Pattern of Systemic Failure
The Office of Special Education continues to operate without proper oversight or transparency. Parents like myself are forced to file grievances, state complaints, and legal actions just to receive basic services already required by law. Instead of accountability and course correction, families are met with delays, gaslighting, and endless circular conversations designed to wear parents down.
This is not isolated to my child’s case. I’ve heard from numerous other parents facing similar stonewalling, broken promises, and failures to act. Despite these widespread issues being raised publicly and privately, there has been no clear plan of action from Superintendent House or his leadership team to address these systemic failures.
When families escalate concerns to the Board of Education or central office leadership, they encounter more of the same — silence, excuses, or dismissal.
Why I Support the Vote of No Confidence
The teachers and staff of PGCPS have made a courageous statement with their vote of no confidence. As a parent who has experienced these failures firsthand, I stand firmly with them.
No superintendent should remain in leadership when:
Direct communication with parents raising serious legal and compliance concerns is non-existent.
The special education department remains dysfunctional with no accountability.
Budgetary concerns go unanswered despite repeated requests for clarification.
Widespread systemic failures continue, year after year, with no meaningful correction.
Prince George’s County deserves leadership that engages with its community, holds departments accountable, and prioritizes legally mandated services for our children.
My Call to Parents
If you are a parent who has faced similar delays, failures, or complete disregard from Superintendent House or the Office of Special Education, I urge you to act:
Contact the Prince George’s County Board of Education.
Share your experiences publicly and with elected officials.
Support the vote of no confidence.
Advocate that Superintendent House’s contract not be renewed.
Change only happens when parents refuse to stay silent and normalize dysfunction. We cannot afford to let another year pass with the same failed leadership at the top while our children are left behind.
Our children deserve better. The community deserves better. And the time for accountability is now.
