Investigation Into TJ High School Sought By Youngkin, Miyares

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin called for an investigation into prestigious Thomas Jefferson High School Science and Technology after news broke about delays in notifying students about National Merit Scholarship honors.

On Tuesday, Attorney General Jason Miyares said he would investigate the school's admissions policy and withholding of merit award information.

The delay in notifying students about being named commended students by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation affects their ability to use the honor on applications for colleges and scholarships by their deadlines. Students are initially screened for National Merit Scholarship Corporation awards based on their PSAT scores.

Notifications about commended students from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation did not go out until late in fall 2022, the Washington Post reported. Parents have said students filling out early deadline college applications could not add the commended student honor in their applications.

Youngkin sent a letter to Attorney General Jason Miyares seeking an investigation into the high school's leadership about the delay in notifications. The governor expressed concern that the National Merit Scholarship information was not shared with students before key deadlines for college scholarships passed.

"We need to get to the bottom of what appears to be an egregious, deliberate attempt to disadvantage high-performing students at one of the best schools in the country," said Youngkin in a statement. "Parents and students deserve answers and Attorney General Miyares will initiate a full investigation. I believe this failure may have caused material harm to those students and their parents, and that this failure may have violated the Virginia Human Rights Act."

Miyares said the investigation will look into if the admissions policy and merit award notification delay violates the Virginia Humans Rights Act.

"Students at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology are amongst the brightest in the nation, yet some have been punished in the name of ‘equity,’" said Miyares in a statement. "Racism and race-based government decision making in any form is wrong and unlawful under Virginia’s Human Rights Act."

The Virginia Human Rights Act seeks to protect Virginia residents from "unlawful discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, or disability in places of public accommodation, including educational institutions and in real estate transactions."

Fairfax County Public Schools said in a statement that Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology shares the commended student honor with students each year to recognize their academic achievements. The school system said it became aware the notification was not provided "in a timely manner" in person or by email.

FCPS said families were notified when the issue came to light, and staff sent emails and follow-up calls to colleges where commended students applied to inform them of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation honor.

An investigation was also launched to determine why the delay in notifications to students happened.

"Our current understanding is that the delay at Thomas Jefferson High School this fall was a unique situation due to human error, but we will continue to examine our records in further detail," the school district said. "We are committed to sharing any key findings and any updates to our processes to ensure future consistency in appropriate and timely notification of National Merit Scholarship Corporation recognitions going forward."

According to the Post, some parents are seeking the removal of TJ principal Ann Bonitatibus and student services director Brandon Kosatka and a policy on how students are notified about awards.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is often ranked the nation's top high school by U.S. News and World Report. The admissions-based governor's school has been in the spotlight after the Fairfax County School Board changed the admissions policy in December 2020 to remove barriers for underrepresented student groups.

When the Coalition for TJ pursued a lawsuit, a federal judge ruled against the policy, arguing it discriminates against Asian American students. However, FCPS appealed the ruling and was allowed to keep the new admissions policy while the appeal is considered.