Burke County Schools Scramble to Fix GPA Errors Before Graduation

District discovers mistake in dual enrollment credit calculations, lowering students' GPAs just months before they graduate

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Burke County School System in Georgia held an emergency meeting after discovering an error in how it was calculating student grade point averages (GPAs), particularly for those taking dual enrollment courses. The mistake is bringing down GPAs for around 150 students just months before they are set to graduate, raising concerns about lost scholarships and the district's transparency in handling the issue.

Why it matters

This situation highlights the high stakes and serious consequences that can arise from administrative errors in a school district's grading policies and practices. With college admissions and scholarships often hinging on GPA, any miscalculation can significantly impact students' futures and undermine the trust between families and the school system.

The details

The district found it had been incorrectly weighing dual enrollment credits, leading to lower GPAs for around 150 Burke County High School students. This has created major stress and uncertainty for students like senior Tyrique Butler, as well as concerns from the student council president Ryan Prescott about potential scholarship losses. Parents like Sara Singletary have criticized the district's lack of transparency and failure to properly notify families before the changes were made.

  • The Burke County Board of Education held an emergency meeting on Thursday, February 13, 2026 to address the GPA calculation error.
  • The district sent a letter to Burke County High School students on Wednesday, February 12, 2026 around 5 p.m. informing them of the GPA calculation issue.

The players

Burke County School System

The public school district in Burke County, Georgia that oversees Burke County High School and discovered the error in GPA calculations for dual enrollment students.

Tyrique Butler

A senior at Burke County High School who said the GPA situation has been "the most stressful part" of his life.

Ryan Prescott

The student council president at Burke County High School who expressed concerns about the financial aid implications for students.

Sara Singletary

A parent who criticized the district's lack of transparency and failure to properly notify families about the GPA changes.

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What they’re saying

“It's been like the most stressful part of my life.”

— Tyrique Butler, Burke County High School senior (WRDW)

“We're about to graduate. Oh, wow. Would you push this on us now? A lot of kids, depending on the show, a lot of kids are going to lose their scholarships. Thousands of thousands of dollars in scholarships.”

— Ryan Prescott, Burke County High School student council president (WRDW)

“It's a major. This has a major impact. This is wrong on so many levels. We have failed these kids. We have failed them. And we need to make this right.”

— Sara Singletary, Parent (WRDW)

What’s next

The Burke County Board of Education discussed several options during the emergency meeting, including amending the new GPA policy back to the old policy only for the class of 2026, or providing the state with a letter explaining the error alongside each affected student's paperwork. The district has been contacted for additional information about next steps for students and teachers.

The takeaway

This situation underscores the critical importance of school districts maintaining accurate and transparent grading policies, especially when it comes to high-stakes measures like GPA that can significantly impact students' futures. The Burke County Schools must work quickly to rectify this error and provide clear communication and support to the affected students and families.