According to the Nation’s Report Card, released in January, more than any other state in the country, Delaware is failing its most vulnerable students. We have experienced the most learning loss in the last 15 years for economically disadvantaged students — a drop of nearly 20 points. Our outdated, one-size-fits-all school funding system is a key driver of this crisis, yet those with the power to change it remain stubbornly resistant. Delaware students do not deserve, nor can they afford, the apathy of those who want to preserve the status quo for their own convenience.
Unlike nearly every other state, Delaware funds schools through an archaic unit-based funding system that distributes money based on rigid staffing ratios rather than the actual needs of students. Schools receive funding for specific positions — such as teachers, administrators and specialists — rather than direct dollars that can be spent flexibly. This means that schools cannot easily adjust their budgets to hire the personnel and programs that best serve their students. Instead, they are locked into a system that forces a one-size-fits-all approach, ignoring the fact that some students need more resources than others….
