SOMERSET COUNTY, MD - Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Carey M. Wright, is ordering the Somerset County Public School Board of Education [BOE] to comply or risk losing state funds.
Dr. Wright's letter comes less than a week after Maryland's Office of the Inspector General for Education (OIGE) released two reports detailing concerns over recent action by the Somerset County Public Schools [SCPS] that it warned could jeopardize a $10,479,027 state grant.
OIGE released the first management alert report on school curriculum and board conduct on July 24. The report came just over a week after the BOE did not vote to approve an English Language Arts curriculum for the coming 25-26 school year.
A second OIGE report released on July 25 details possible legal discrepancies in the revised library media selection policy.
WBOC obtained Maryland State Department of Education documents dating back to June 2025 that chronicle a tumultuous relationship between the SCPS Board and Superintendent Dr. Ava Tasker-Mitchell
On May 10, Dr. Tasker-Mitchell requested the issuance of charges for the removal of BOE Chairman Matthew Lankford.
On July 7, the county board placed Tasker-Mitchell on paid administrative leave. Maryland's Superintendent of Schools stepped in two days later, issuing a stay on the local board's decision for 60 calendar days.
A provision in the Maryland Code of Regulations allows the State Board of Education to extend a stay order on a local board's decision beyond 60 days if the local board's action has been appealed. In this case, the stay remains in place until the State Board issues a final decision on the appeal.
Maryland's Inspector General of Education Richard Henry previously told WBOC that the Maryland State Board of Education has two hearings regarding SCPS in the coming weeks - one on the removal of Chairman Lankford from the SCPS BOE and another appealing a previous attempt to fire Dr. Tasker-Mitchell.
On July 29, Chairman Lankford sent a letter to Dr. Wright objecting to this provision to extend the stay on Dr. Tasker-Mitchell.
According to a reply from Dr. Wright sent Monday, August 4, Lankford requested that the state board, "[p]lease ensure that Dr. Tasker-Mitchell will vacate the property on August 6, 2025.”
Dr. Wright said the SCPS BOE's attempts to appoint an interim County Superintendent, David Bromwell, violated the State Board of Education's orders. She warned that continued violations may result in board member removals and/or withheld state funds.
Dr. Ava Tasker-Mitchell and SCPS declined WBOC's request for comment on Wednesday. We are waiting for a statement from the SCPS Board of Education.