HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 98

REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR OF DELAWARE PROVIDE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION BY ADDRESSING FUNDING, IMPROVING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, STANDARDIZED TESTING, AND SCHOOL SAFETY AND CLIMATE TO THE 153RD DELAWARE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

WHEREAS, in 1940 Delaware instated its current resource-based funding system for public education and today the outdated system is causing Delaware students to fall behind their peers across the country academically; and

WHEREAS, only 8 percent of Delaware’s state funding for public schools is considered flexible and school districts are not able to allocate funds to the areas that need it most due because under the resource-based funding formula the state decides how school districts are to allocate their funding by setting their budget; and

WHEREAS, Delaware is one of only 6 other states to use the resource-based funding formula while over 40 other states utilize a student-based funding formula which allows districts to budget the funding allocated to them by the state based on the specific needs of their students; and

WHEREAS, a report released by the Delaware Department of Education reflects the outcomes of Delaware’s rigid funding system in the 2022-2023 school year as only 41 percent of students from grades 3-8 were proficient in English language arts and 31 percent of students were proficient in math from grades 3-8; and

WHEREAS, these findings emphasize the Delaware’s need to improve proficiency in English and math by exploring policy options such as the Literacy-Based Promotion Act (LBPA) passed by the Mississippi General Assembly in 2013; and

WHEREAS, the LBPA targets the schools with students struggling the most in English and deploys literacy coaches that provide professional development to teachers and administrators in teaching reading; and

WHEREAS, nearly 85 percent of Mississippi third graders in the 2022-2023 now pass the reading assessment as a direct result of the LBPA; and

WHEREAS, it is not only necessary to improve the proficiency levels of Delaware students but also how the state measures performance through standardized testing reform; and

WHEREAS, the Delaware System of Student Assessment (DeSSA), PSAT, and SAT are all required to be taken by Delaware students; and

WHEREAS, other states have reduced the time of their standardized testing, such as Pennsylvania who reduced the length of their tests by 20 percent, while still maintaining the state and federal standards for measuring student progress and achievement; and

WHEREAS, the reduction in time spent preparing for and taking standardized tests allows for less disruption of learning for students who are taking the assessment as well as those who are not; and

WHEREAS, the Delaware Department of Education found that 142,156 students are enrolled in preschool through 12th grade and 79 percent of those students were on-track in attendance for the 2022-2023; and

WHEREAS, in order to increase enrollment and attendance Delaware needs to assess school safety and climate which are essential to student success; and

WHEREAS, finally this report exposed room for improvement in that 88 percent of the class of 2022 graduated high school in four years with a regular high school diploma and 85 percent of students finished 12th grade college and career ready; and

WHEREAS, Delaware needs to reassess its graduation requirements and provide more secondary education and/or professional preparation for students to prepare them for success post-graduation; and

WHEREAS, the American Legislative Exchange Council ranked Delaware 37th in the nation for education based on state academic standards, charter schools, homeschool regulation burden, private school choice, teacher quality, and digital learning; and

WHEREAS, this ranking reflects poorly on Delaware and shows the disservice that the state’s current education system is to students; and

WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of Delaware to update and improve its public education system to better serve Delaware students.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 152nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that we request the Governor of Delaware provide their recommendations for the future of education by addressing funding, improving academic performance, standardized testing, and school safety and climate to the 153rd Delaware General Assembly by June 30, 2025.

SYNOPSIS

This resolution requests the Governor of Delaware provide recommendations for the future of education by addressing funding, improving academic performance, standardized testing, and school safety and climate to the 153rd Delaware General Assembly by June 30, 2025.