6 Stafford Students Were Not Notified Of National Merit Awards

STAFFORD COUNTY, VA — The Stafford County school system failed to notify six students that they were National Merit commended scholars, school officials said. The school system said it failed to inform the students "in a timely manner."

The school system learned of the notification failure on Thursday, according to a Stafford County schools spokesperson. The principal of the affected students has reached out to the families, and the school system is working to notify each college that the students applied to.

Earlier this month, Attorney General Jason Miyares and Governor Glenn Youngkin announced an investigation into the Fairfax County school system after it failed to notify some students of their National Merit status. Last week, Youngkin announced his plans to propose legislation that would mandate schools notify students and families of any awards immediately.

Read more: Investigation Into Commended Students Notifications At FCPS Expands

Currently, each school is responsible for notifying students of awards. Some schools notify students individually in the fall, while some wait until later and recognize the winners at a ceremony.

A Stafford County schools spokesperson told Patch that the delay in notifying National Merit commended scholars was rooted in an administrative error.

"We sincerely apologize for the administrative error and the frustration this delay has caused these students and families," the Stafford County school system said in a statement. "This is very frustrating for us, and not indicative of the pride we feel in our students and the approach we take in celebrating their personal achievements."

The school system is reaching out to the National Merit Scholarship program to discuss possible changes to the notification process.