The district said it offered Nesmith a coaching position earlier this year, but an offer alone does not make a candidate an employee. Coaches must complete the hiring process and meet district requirements before they can begin working with students.

Nesmith “failed to meet employment requirements,” resulting in “non-employment with the district,” DCPS said in a statement. The district said he never received the clearance or authorization required to work with students and that it had not announced or identified him as a district employee.

DCPS has not said which requirements Nesmith did not meet. It said it could not discuss details of an individual’s hiring process and did not accuse him of wrongdoing.

The district’s confirmation came after parents raised questions about the coaching situation. Some said they had not seen Nesmith on the sidelines during the season; he was not seen there at Riverside’s Friday game against Raines. Parents also described uncertainty about guidance for players seeking college opportunities, including concerns that player statistics had not been uploaded consistently.

The district has not clarified who Riverside’s official head coach is, whether Nesmith served the team in any capacity, or when it learned he was being presented as head coach. Questions also remain about why he was seen in team gear if he had not been cleared to work, and whether DCPS is reviewing how the situation arose.

Riverside’s athletic director and Nesmith had not responded to requests for comment by Friday night.

DCPS says prospective athletic coaches must apply through its online portal, interview with school administration, receive an offer and complete human-resources steps and assigned tasks in the employment portal. The district also bars volunteer coaches from working with students or athletes or being in or on district athletic facilities.