BOWIE, Md. (7News) — As Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) works to stabilize its troubled bus system, some parents say their transportation problems began well before this school year.
Lisa Wilson is one of those parents. She provided 7News with documents from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) related to complaints she filed involving her son’s special education services.
In an August 2025 letter, state investigators found multiple violations involving her son’s services, including that his Individualized Education Program, or IEP, was not consistently implemented.
The state also found violations involving delays in holding an IEP meeting and providing required notices.
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Wilson said her family’s transportation concerns started after she formally made complaints, and have continued as her son was administratively transferred to Pointer Ridge Elementary School in Bowie, about 30 miles from their home in Accokeek.
“I was told in no uncertain terms that Blake would not be transported from our residence in Accokeek, Maryland to the school that he was administratively transferred to by an area supervisor in the Bowie area, to Pointer Ridge Elementary,” Wilson said.
Her concerns come as PGCPS faces broader questions about its transportation system.
The district has acknowledged significant problems at the start of the school year, with roughly 10,000 students initially caught up in a backlog involving bus assignments and routes.
Even after the district said every student had been assigned a bus, some parents told 7News Monday morning that problems remained. Parents in Cheverly said at least a dozen students in one neighborhood were still waiting for a bus, while other parents reported waits of more than two and a half hours.
The district’s new routing system, Bus Planner, has also come under scrutiny following the troubled rollout. Questions remain about what went wrong and whether an audit could examine how the system was implemented and what changes are needed to prevent similar problems.
PGCPS is also undergoing a change in transportation leadership as officials work to stabilize the department.
7News has separately obtained documents from an internal PGCPS investigation involving allegations of workplace bullying, discrimination and harassment within the transportation department.
PGCPS was asked specifically about Wilson’s concerns. The district said it needs additional information and context regarding the situation and asked Wilson to contact the school system so it can fully address her concerns.
The Maryland State Department of Education’s 2025 investigation focused on the implementation of Wilson’s son’s special education services. It found multiple violations by PGCPS but did not make a finding of retaliation involving transportation.
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