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Somerset County Public Schools

Westover, Somerset County, Maryland
★★★★★ Not yet rated by parents
👨‍🎓 2,901 students 📋 418 students with IEPs 🗣️ 0 parent reports ☎️ (410)651-1616
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These are parent-submitted experiences about Somerset County Public Schools as an institution, posted directly by parents. iep.tips is a neutral platform and does not verify these accounts — they are families' own statements and opinions, not verified facts or legal advice, and not a review of any individual employee. See something false or abusive? Use the Report link. Read our disclaimer.

No parent reports for Somerset County Public Schools yet.

If you've navigated an IEP here, your story could be the roadmap another family needs. Share it »

🛟 How to fight for your child's IEP — and who to call

If Somerset County Public Schools isn't giving your child the services they're legally owed, you have a clear, federally-protected path. Under IDEA these steps are the same everywhere — work them in order and put everything in writing.

Step 1

Request an IEP meeting — in writing

Email your child's case manager and the district's Director of Exceptional/Special Education. State the problem and the services you're requesting, and ask for a formal IEP-team meeting. Keep a copy of everything. District office: (410)651-1616.

Step 2

File a state complaint

If the district violated an IDEA rule in the last year, file a signed written complaint with your state's special-education dispute-resolution office (below). The state must investigate and issue a decision — usually within 60 days.

Step 3

Ask for mediation

Request free, voluntary mediation through the state — a neutral, trained mediator helps you and the district reach a written agreement. It's faster and less adversarial than a hearing.

Step 4

File for a due-process hearing

For serious disputes over identification, evaluation, placement, or FAPE, file for a due-process hearing — a formal legal proceeding. Consider getting an advocate or attorney first (see Protection & Advocacy below).

⚖️ Where to file & get free help in Maryland

Maryland State Department of Education — Special-Education Dispute Resolution
File a state complaint (IDEA), request mediation, or a due-process hearing
· 🔗 visit site

File a written state complaint within 1 year of the violation, request free mediation, or file for a due-process hearing. Start here if the district is out of compliance.

Disability Rights Maryland
Protection & Advocacy — free legal help for special-education & disability rights
☎️ 410-727-6352 · 🔗 visit site

Your state's federally-funded disability rights agency. Free information, advice, and sometimes legal representation for IEP and special-education disputes.

📚 Know-your-rights resources

Your legal footing: Under IDEA every eligible child is entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and an IEP built to their needs. Section 504/ADA also bar disability discrimination.

• Parent Training & Information Center (PTI): free coaching for your state — find your center »

• CADRE (national dispute-resolution center): cadreworks.org »

• U.S. Dept. of Education OSEP (administers IDEA) & Office for Civil Rights for 504/ADA complaints.

Tip: bring a written list of requests to every meeting, ask for the district's response in writing, and never sign an IEP you don't agree with — you can consent to parts and dispute the rest.

💪 Not just your child? Use strength in numbers.

If other Somerset County Public Schools families are hitting the same wall, it's a district problem — and numbers change the outcome. Send this page to your social-media contacts and Facebook parent groups, and ask other parents at drop-off and pickup: is this happening to you too? Gather the stories here so the pattern is documented. Once you can prove a bigger issue: wear matching-color shirts for solidarity, protest peacefully, pack school-board meetings, reach out to government officials, give interviews, and send press releases to the local newsrooms below to bring the media in.

See the full step-by-step » Organize an event »

📣 Take action for Somerset County Public Schools

Systemic problems get fixed when they become public. Below is local press near this district and the officials responsible for Somerset County.

📰 Local newsrooms

Show within
WBOC-TV (CBS)
CBS affiliate — TV
19 mi
· 🔗 site
WCPB (PBS)
PBS — TV
19 mi
· 🔍 find “WCPB (PBS)” online
WMDT (ABC)
ABC affiliate — TV
19 mi
· 🔗 site
Daily Times
Local newspaper
19 mi
· 🔍 find “Daily Times” online
The Star Democrat
Local newspaper
50 mi
· 🔍 find “The Star Democrat” online
Cape Gazette
Local newspaper
53 mi
· 🔍 find “Cape Gazette” online
The Times-Record
Local newspaper
54 mi
· 🔍 find “The Times-Record” online
Southside Sentinel
Local newspaper
58 mi
· 🔍 find “Southside Sentinel” online
Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal
Local newspaper
66 mi
· 🔍 find “Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal” online
Rappahannock Times
Local newspaper
66 mi
· 🔍 find “Rappahannock Times” online
The Kent Island Bay Times
Local newspaper
67 mi
· 🔍 find “The Kent Island Bay Times” online
Tidewater Review
Local newspaper
71 mi
· 🔍 find “Tidewater Review” online
Delaware State News
Local newspaper
73 mi
· 🔍 find “Delaware State News” online
Dover Post
Local newspaper
73 mi
· 🔍 find “Dover Post” online
The Capital (Annapolis)
Daily newspaper
73 mi
· 🔗 site
Delaware State News (Dover)
Daily newspaper
74 mi
· 🔗 site
The Annapolis Times
Local newspaper
75 mi
· 🔍 find “The Annapolis Times” online
The Capital
Local newspaper
75 mi
· 🔍 find “The Capital” online
Yorktown Crier-Poquoson Post
Local newspaper
75 mi
· 🔍 find “Yorktown Crier-Poquoson Post” online
Virginia Gazette
Local newspaper
79 mi
· 🔍 find “Virginia Gazette” online
Kent County News
Local newspaper
79 mi
· 🔍 find “Kent County News” online
Daily Press (Newport News)
Daily newspaper
81 mi
· 🔗 site
Smyrna/Clayton Sun-Times
Local newspaper
83 mi
· 🔍 find “Smyrna/Clayton Sun-Times” online
Daily Press
Local newspaper
83 mi
· 🔍 find “Daily Press” online
WVEC (ABC)
ABC affiliate — TV
85 mi
· 🔗 site
WHRO-TV (PBS)
PBS — TV
85 mi
· 🔗 site
Maryland Gazette
Local newspaper
87 mi
· 🔍 find “Maryland Gazette” online
WVBT (FOX)
FOX affiliate — TV
88 mi
· 🔗 site
Alexandria Gazette Packet
Local newspaper
88 mi
· 🔍 find “Alexandria Gazette Packet” online
Alexandria Times
Local newspaper
88 mi
· 🔍 find “Alexandria Times” online
Greenbelt News Review
Local newspaper
88 mi
· 🔍 find “Greenbelt News Review” online
WMAR-TV (ABC)
ABC affiliate — TV
89 mi
· 🔗 site
WBAL-TV (NBC)
NBC affiliate — TV
89 mi
· 🔗 site
WJZ-TV (CBS)
CBS affiliate — TV
89 mi
· 🔗 site
WBFF (FOX)
FOX affiliate — TV
89 mi
· 🔗 site
WNUV (CW)
CW affiliate — TV
89 mi
· 🔗 site
WMPB (PBS)
PBS — TV
89 mi
· 🔍 find “WMPB (PBS)” online
Baltimore Afro-American
Local newspaper
89 mi
· 🔍 find “Baltimore Afro-American” online
Baltimore Banner
Local newspaper
89 mi
· 🔍 find “Baltimore Banner” online
WRC-TV (NBC)
NBC affiliate — TV
90 mi
· 🔗 site

🏛️ Officials for Somerset County

Maryland State Department of Education
State education agency — special-education oversight · MD
· 🔗 site
Office of the Governor of Maryland Wes Moore
Governor · MD
· 🔗 site
U.S. Dept. of Education — Office for Civil Rights
Disability discrimination complaints (504/ADA) · National
✉️ OCR@ed.gov · ☎️ 1-800-421-3481 · 🔗 site
U.S. Dept. of Education — OSEP
Federal special-education oversight (IDEA) · National
✉️ OSEP@ed.gov · ☎️ 1-800-872-5327 · 🔗 site