Delaware News

State Releases Education Funding Study

Department of Education | News | Date Posted: Tuesday, December 12, 2023


DDOE logo - a star rising above an open book

An independent study of Delaware’s education funding system has yielded recommendations for policymakers.

 

The study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) was a part of the recent education funding litigation settlement, requiring an independent evaluation of the state’s education funding system.  The goal of the study was to analyze current education funding policies and make recommendations for improvements, with a focus on equity for all students. The work included a comprehensive analysis of existing funding, comparative analysis with other states, and feedback of stakeholders.

 

The study made the following recommendations:

  • Increase state investment in public education.
  • Distribute more resources according to student need.
  • Improve funding transparency.
  • Allow more flexibility in how districts use resources.
  • Regularly reassess property values.
  • Simplify the calculation of the local share provided to charter schools.
  • Implement a weighted student funding state funding formula.

 

Secretary of Education Mark Holodick said state leaders will use the findings to inform discussions on how to revise an education funding system most consider outdated.

 

“We have known change is needed, but we didn’t want to move forward blindly. We needed an independent deep dive into what is working elsewhere, what our own strengths and needs are and ideas we can consider as a state to move forward,” he said. “We have an opportunity to build upon the numerous initiatives and investments of the current administration, most notably Opportunity Funding, increased early childhood spending, mental health support and significant compensation increases.”

 

Red Clay Consolidated School District Superintendent Dorrell Green also is a member of the Vision Coalition leadership team.

 

“Change is long overdue. We need more targeted state investment in our schools, particularly those that serve students from low-income families, students with disabilities and English learners,” Green said. “We need a system that better directs dollars based on student needs and gives districts more flexibility in how to spend state funding to meet those needs. We know change will not be easy or overnight, but this study gives us important information to move those conversations forward.”

 

Find more information, including the full report, online here.

 

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

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State Releases Education Funding Study

Department of Education | News | Date Posted: Tuesday, December 12, 2023


DDOE logo - a star rising above an open book

An independent study of Delaware’s education funding system has yielded recommendations for policymakers.

 

The study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) was a part of the recent education funding litigation settlement, requiring an independent evaluation of the state’s education funding system.  The goal of the study was to analyze current education funding policies and make recommendations for improvements, with a focus on equity for all students. The work included a comprehensive analysis of existing funding, comparative analysis with other states, and feedback of stakeholders.

 

The study made the following recommendations:

  • Increase state investment in public education.
  • Distribute more resources according to student need.
  • Improve funding transparency.
  • Allow more flexibility in how districts use resources.
  • Regularly reassess property values.
  • Simplify the calculation of the local share provided to charter schools.
  • Implement a weighted student funding state funding formula.

 

Secretary of Education Mark Holodick said state leaders will use the findings to inform discussions on how to revise an education funding system most consider outdated.

 

“We have known change is needed, but we didn’t want to move forward blindly. We needed an independent deep dive into what is working elsewhere, what our own strengths and needs are and ideas we can consider as a state to move forward,” he said. “We have an opportunity to build upon the numerous initiatives and investments of the current administration, most notably Opportunity Funding, increased early childhood spending, mental health support and significant compensation increases.”

 

Red Clay Consolidated School District Superintendent Dorrell Green also is a member of the Vision Coalition leadership team.

 

“Change is long overdue. We need more targeted state investment in our schools, particularly those that serve students from low-income families, students with disabilities and English learners,” Green said. “We need a system that better directs dollars based on student needs and gives districts more flexibility in how to spend state funding to meet those needs. We know change will not be easy or overnight, but this study gives us important information to move those conversations forward.”

 

Find more information, including the full report, online here.

 

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , , , , , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.