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Project Baltimore Investigates – How many students failed at Augusta Fells?

A west Baltimore high school under investigation by City Schools for grading irregularities appears to have failed students and still promoted them through course levels. Now, Project Baltimore is trying to learn how many students were affected.

On April 8, Baltimore City Schools CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises will appear before the Baltimore City Council to answer questions about what happened at Augusta Fells Savage Institute in west Baltimore.

“I want to take this opportunity to apologize to those students and families who may be affected,” said Dr. Santelises during a school board meeting earlier this month.

Her apology came after a Project Baltimore investigation found a student who passed three classes in four years and was being promoted through course levels. According to his transcript, he had a 0.13 grade point average, and his class rank was 62 of 120. That means 58 other August Fells students in his class have a 0.13 grade point average or worse.

“He didn’t fail, the school failed him. The school failed at their job,” said Tiffany France, the student’s mother.

France says the school should have come to her three years ago, when her son was falling behind. Now, Project Baltimore wants to know how many families are in the same position.

North Avenue tells Project Baltimore it addressed the problems at Augusta Fells back in 2019 by placing Principal Tracy Hicks on administrative leave and launching an internal investigation. A year-and-a-half later, that investigation is ongoing.

Principal Hicks retired in January. In the 17 months she spent on administrative leave, Hicks earned nearly $190,000. We tried to find her, to see if she could provide answers into what was happening at her school.

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6 thoughts on “Project Baltimore Investigates – How many students failed at Augusta Fells?”

  1. Here we go again , blacks have done again , they screw up everything they are involved with . It’s all about the money .

  2. So his mother never looked at a report card or wondered where the son was when he skipped. Easier to blame some one else instead of shouldering some of the blame on her and her sons shoulders.

  3. From their website:

    At Augusta Fells Savage Institute, we tap into students’ potential and help them succeed academically, artistically, socially, and emotionally. Our mission is to prepare 21st-century leaders and learners in an arts-focused learning community where student achievement is the priority.

    Official state grade band: High
    Grades served: 9 to 12
    Number of students: 419
    Enrollment type: Choice lottery
    Management type: Traditional
    Building info: Green school, Shared

    From the grades of their students, the school
    isn’t doing much to tap that student potential
    or prioritize student achievement. The school
    is obviously broken, despite having nearly the
    highest per student spending, much of which
    is spent on students who don’t even show up
    for classes. This place sounds more like a failing
    “alternative school,” where disruptive children
    are babysat with plenty of snacks and play time.

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