The district is the state’s second-best-funded on a per-pupil basis, with most of its budget coming from state taxpayers. Nearby Worcester County brings in a similar amount per student and ranks as Maryland’s top-performing district, though much of Worcester’s school funding comes from the county.

For Somerset parent Leslie Nelson, the gap between spending and results is personal. She says she buys books and prints worksheets to reinforce what her children learn, particularly in math. Her 10-year-old son, Samuel Coker, said he learned to read at home with his mother’s help.

Nelson questioned why similar per-student funding has not produced comparable school facilities and improvements in Somerset. Superintendent David Bromwell, who began the job last November, said the funding comparison does not account for differences in student needs and local revenue.

Somerset has more students receiving special education services and more English language learners, Bromwell said, and poverty can make providing services more costly. He also said state dollars come with restrictions and additional paperwork, while Worcester benefits from Ocean City property-tax revenue that eases pressure on other county funds. Somerset, he added, lacks the same local business and booster-club resources to support projects such as athletic upgrades.

Staffing instability is another concern. Washington High School & Academy has had six principals over the past six school years, and teachers and other employees have left for neighboring districts. Bromwell said Somerset’s salaries had fallen behind those offered in Worcester and Wicomico counties, contributing to the loss of experienced educators.

Eric Thomas, who graduated from Washington High School this year and now attends the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, said he saw a connection between staff turnover and student performance. He recalled long-term substitute teachers and said he was troubled by how few of his peers passed proficiency tests, despite believing they could do better.

Bromwell said the district is working to improve results by holding teachers accountable, creating an alternative program for students facing academic or behavioral challenges, and reviewing spending. Curt Bunting, Washington High’s new principal, said students dealing with hunger, housing instability or family difficulties can struggle in class, and that supportive relationships with adults can help.

The school system is also contending with disputes that parents and educators say can distract from academics. The state teachers’ union has filed complaints seeking Board Chair Matt Lankford’s removal and accusing him of intimidating educators during a meeting amid a dispute over library books. The board’s attorney, Gordana Schifanelli, said Lankford was responding to public questions and disputed the union’s account of the board’s book policy.

Lankford had previously faced a removal request from Somerset’s former superintendent. The Maryland State Board of Education said the allegations did not meet the legal threshold for removal, while describing his continuing pattern of behavior as deeply problematic.

Other recent conflicts include a state audit documenting years of poor financial management, an Inspector General for Education finding that the board violated procurement law in hiring attorneys, and an ACLU complaint alleging the board withheld public records. Schifanelli said the board is addressing the audit findings and disputed the claims about attorney selection and records.

Parent Joe Hylton, who lost a school-board primary earlier this year, said he worries public disputes are making it harder for the district to recruit teachers and principals. Bromwell said the politics surrounding the school system nearly kept him from taking the superintendent position, and that his priority is to keep the focus on student success.

For families, the concern is whether students will get the support and opportunities they need. Hylton said his children are doing well, but credited their progress to family help, tutoring and their community network as well as school. He said students want the chance to build futures beyond the limited paths they see around them.