HAGERSTOWN, Md. — During a Board of Education work session on June 2, Washington County Public Schools presented an overview of the district’s 2026 summer learning programs and long-term facility planning. They emphasized initiatives to boost student achievement and address future enrollment growth and aging infrastructure concerns.
School leaders presented plans for elementary and secondary summer school programs to address learning gaps, help students recover credits, and support incoming freshmen as they transition to high school. District officials also reviewed the annual Educational Facilities Master Plan, which serves as the roadmap for future school construction, renovations, and enrollment management.
Summer school to serve hundreds of students
Dan Fowler, supervisor of school management, said the district’s summer programs focus on addressing achievement gaps and accelerating learning for students across all grade levels.
At the elementary level, the district will operate summer learning programs at 13 sites serving 14 schools from July 6-30. The programs are designed for students entering kindergarten through fifth grade who have been identified as needing additional support in English language arts and mathematics. Students will receive 70 minutes of instruction in each subject daily through a combination of whole-group and small-group learning. Breakfast, lunch and transportation will be provided.
Fowler said student growth will be measured through reading assessments and pre- and post-tests in mathematics to determine the program’s effectiveness.
At the high school level, summer school will be held at South Hagerstown High School and will offer five original-credit courses and 16 repeat-credit courses. Students may earn one original credit or recover up to two credits through repeat-credit offerings.
District officials said approximately 340 students have already enrolled and participation is expected to reach between 500 and 600 students before classes start.
Board members questioned the need for original-credit courses during the summer. Fowler explained that the courses help students remain on track for graduation, accelerate their academic progress and support students pursuing dual-enrollment opportunities and early college pathways.
The district will also offer a freshman transition program at South Hagerstown, North Hagerstown and Williamsport high schools. The program is designed for incoming ninth-grade students considered most at risk and will focus on academic readiness, study skills, organization, relationship-building and school expectations.
Participants will have an opportunity to earn an Advanced Study Skills elective credit while becoming familiar with their new schools before the academic year begins. Officials expect between 75 and 90 students to participate.
The district’s total summer learning budget is approximately $350,000, including $300,000 for high school programs and $50,000 for transportation. Elementary programs will be funded through federal Title I and Concentration of Poverty grants.
Aging facilities remain a major issue
Following the summer school presentation, district officials reviewed the Educational Facilities Master Plan, which evaluates enrollment trends, building conditions and future capital needs.
Chief Operating Officer William Blum said the district is responsible for maintaining nearly 1,100 acres of property and approximately 3.5 million square feet of building space. The annual planning document serves as the foundation for future capital improvement requests and long-term facility decisions.
The most concerning aspect is the age of the district’s buildings. Officials reported that 24 of Washington County’s 47 school facilities have not undergone a full renovation since the 1970s. The average age of district schools is now 39 years, placing Washington County among the oldest school systems in Maryland based on facility age.
The opening of Downsville Pike Elementary School and the closure of Fountain Rock and Hickory elementary schools in 2027 are expected to modestly improve the district’s facility profile, though officials acknowledged that significant modernization needs remain throughout the system.
Enrollment expected to remain stable
Facilities planners reported that Washington County’s population has grown by approximately 3,000 residents over the past five years, though birth rates have continued to decline.
Officials noted that while population growth has been slower than in counties east of Washington County, it has remained stronger than neighboring counties farther west. Future enrollment growth will likely depend on continued residential development and migration into the county.
The district projects an increase of approximately 252 students next school year, with about 150 of those students expected to be enrolled in pre-kindergarten programs. Kindergarten through grade 12 enrollment is expected to remain relatively flat over the next several years, although long-term projections anticipate growth of roughly 2,000 students over the next decade when expanded pre-kindergarten opportunities are included.
Officials said enrollment projections are closely tied to state funding formulas and future construction funding opportunities, making accurate forecasting critical for long-range planning.
Major construction projects move forward
The master plan identifies five major capital projects over the next decade.
The new Downsville Pike Elementary School remains under construction and is expected to open in 2027. Officials reported that structural steel and masonry work are progressing as scheduled.
Other projects include classroom additions at Jonathan Hager Elementary School, a replacement project for Clear Spring Middle School and Clear Spring High School, and two future elementary school replacement projects designed to reduce the number of aging facilities throughout the district.
School leaders said the projects are strategically located in areas expected to experience future growth, allowing the district to increase capacity while replacing older buildings that no longer meet modern educational standards.
The Educational Facilities Master Plan will serve as the basis for the district’s upcoming five-year Capital Improvement Plan and future funding requests to state and local government partners.
