The top reported proficiency rate is 23% in English language arts. The lowest is 2% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Washington Academy and High School
Washington Academy and High School serves students in grades eight through twelve in Princess Anne, the county seat of Somerset County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It is a regular public school within the Somerset County Public Schools district, a small district that has been under state corrective action for low academic performance, a structural reality that shapes curriculum, staffing, and resource allocation across all district schools. The school operates in a town that is both historic and modestly growing, anchored by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, whose presence adds cultural and economic activity but does not directly translate into school programming in the available data.
The student body numbers around six hundred, with the largest grade cohorts in the lower high school years. The demographic composition reflects the surrounding community: roughly three-fifths of students are Black, a quarter are White, and smaller shares are Hispanic and of two or more races. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, placing the school in a high-poverty context. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so it is not possible to assess how those populations are served.
State assessment results are available only for eighth grade, the single tested grade in this school’s span. Performance across all four tested subjects falls well below typical benchmarks. In English language arts, roughly one in five eighth graders met the state’s proficiency standard. In science and social studies, the share was smaller. In mathematics, proficiency was reported for a very small share of students. A multi-year trend could not be calculated because only one year of comparable data exists. A graduation rate is not reported in the data; that gap often reflects a school’s grade configuration, but the reason here is not confirmed.
There is no available information about Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, career and technical education pathways, or other program offerings. Discipline data, staffing ratios, chronic absenteeism, and class size are also absent from the record. A parent evaluating academic opportunity at Washington Academy will need to ask the school directly about course access, extracurricular options, and support services. The district’s corrective-action status means that state intervention is ongoing, which may bring additional resources or monitoring but also signals persistent challenges.
The community surrounding the school is a small, compact town with a preserved historic district, county government offices, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore campus. Housing values in the area are below state and national medians, making the town more affordable than many parts of Maryland. The town is experiencing modest population growth, but large-scale development is unlikely given its size and historic preservation constraints. For families, this is a quiet, low-density environment with limited commercial activity beyond the downtown core.
This school fits a family who values a small-town setting and is aware that the academic numbers are very low. The combination of high poverty, state intervention, and poor assessment results suggests that students may need significant additional support to reach grade-level standards. A parent should plan to investigate what remediation, tutoring, or enrichment opportunities exist and what the school’s plans are under the state’s oversight structure. Without program data or outcome measures beyond eighth-grade tests, the picture is incomplete, and direct inquiry with the school is essential.
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