Red Clay Priority School Plans Approved By Board & Other Priority School Tidbits

It looks like the Red Clay Consolidated School Board has passed the priority school plans each school drafted for the Delaware Department of Education’s priority schools initiative.  Next stop, the DOE.  And due to the snowmageddon that never happened, Christina postponed their board meeting to vote on the plans until February 3rd, a week from tonight.  All of this will further postpone any decision by the DOE and Governor Markell on the priority schools until early February at the earliest.  Meanwhile, the Wilmington Education Committee recommendations for Wilmington schools will be heard tomorrow in a Joint House and Senate Education Committee meeting tomorrow at Legislative Hall in Dover at 3pm.

As per Mike Matthews on Twitter:

Highlands, Shortlidge, and Warner Priority Schools plans have been approved @RedClaySchools Board meeting.

— Mike Matthews, NBCT (he/him/his) (@MikeMatthewsDE) January 28, 2015

 

House Concurrent Resolution #5 To Create Education Funding Task Force in Delaware

House Concurrent Resolution #5 will create a task force to examine how funds are allocated per student in Delaware.  My biggest question though is why the hell a representative from Rodel is needed on this?  The Delaware Charter Schools Network I can sort of undertand, but Rodel?  This “non-profit” has no business interfering in Delaware education more than it already has.  Enough is enough.  Haven’t they caused enough problems?

SPONSOR:	Rep. Briggs King & Sen. Pettyjohn;
	Reps. D. Short, Hudson, Kenton, Smyk, Wilson, Yearick; Sens. Lawson, Simpson

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES148th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 5

 

ESTABLISHING A BLUE RIBBON TASK FORCE ON EDUCATION SPENDING TO AUDIT PUBLIC SPENDING FOR EDUCATION IN DELAWARE AND TO MAKE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO ASSURE FAIR AND EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION.

WHEREAS, the Delaware Department of Education currently provides K-12 funding to a variety of educational systems throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, the existing formulas for distribution are inequitable and create a large disparity in the quality of education that our children are able to receive; and

WHEREAS, it is the intent of the General Assembly that a task force of qualified persons study the current formulas for distribution and develop alternatives that will allow for an equitable distribution among all children receiving an education in the State, by and among all school districts and non-public forms of education.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 148^th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Education Spending be established to study and make findings regarding the current formulas for distributing public funds for education among all forms of education, and to make recommendations to improve the formulas for distribution to assure fairness and equity for all children receiving an education in Delaware.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force be composed of the following members:

Two members of the House of Representatives, one appointed by the Speaker of the House and one appointed by the Minority Leader;

Two members of the Senate, one appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate and one appointed by the Minority Leader;

The Controller General, or designee;

Two representatives from the Department of Education;

One representative from the Rodel Foundation;

One representative from the Delaware Charter Schools Network;

One representative from the Delaware State Education Association;

One parent, appointed by the Education Committee of the House of Representatives;

One teacher, to be appointed by the Education Committee of the Senate;

One Public School District Superintendent from each County, to be appointed by the Governor; and

One representative from a Vocational School, to be appointed by the Governor.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that two co-chairs are to be selected from the members, one to be chosen by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and one to be chosen by the President pro tempore of the Senate.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Co-Chairs of the Task Force shall be responsible for setting the initial meeting of the task force and guiding the administration of the Task Force.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education shall provide access to any information and resources that may be required to complete this study, and may provide reasonable and necessary support staff and materials for the Task Force.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force report its findings and recommendations to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Governor, the Department of Education, and the Directors of the Division of Research and the Delaware Public Archives for public dissemination by one year from the date of passage of this Resolution.

SYNOPSIS

Under the current Department of Education formula for providing State funds for education, there is a wide discrepancy in the funding per pupil between public school districts and among the other educational systems offered in this State.   This Resolution will establish a Task Force to examine and study all Department of Education K-12 spending in Delaware, as it exists across all forms of education. The Task Force will be able to use that information to make recommendations that will create and promote an equitable distribution among all children receiving an education in Delaware, by and among all public school districts and alternative educational systems. This Task Force will be comprised of 16 persons with diverse backgrounds and interests, including those from public, charter, and vocational educational systems.

Delaware House Bill 29: Moratorium On All New Wilmington Charter School Applications

We knew this was coming, but now it’s official.  Next stop, House Education Committee:

SPONSOR:	Rep. Potter & Sen. Henry
	Reps. Bolden, Keeley, Kowalko

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES148th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

 

HOUSE BILL NO. 29

 

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. There shall be a moratorium on all new charter schools within the City of Wilmington until June 30, 2017.

SYNOPSIS

This bill provides for a moratorium on all new charter schools within the City of Wilmington until June 30, 2017.

Delaware PTA Sponsors Parent Opt Out Town Hall Meeting

The Delaware Parent Teacher Association is sponsoring a parent opt out town hall meeting to discuss what opt out means for students and standardized tests, more specifically, the Smarter Balanced Assessment.  As the test will begin in March, the opt out drums are beating louder and louder.

The Newcastle County meeting will be open to parents on 2/19/15, at the Eden Hill Support Center in the Cafetorium.  A time has not been announced for this event at this point in time.  Kent County was scheduled to have a meeting on 2/3/15 at the Kent County Library, but it was canceled.  I reached out to Delaware PTA President Dr. Terri Hodges to inquire why it was canceled and if it would be rescheduled.  She explained the room at the library only holds 25 people and they would most likely need a bigger room.  Maybe the Kent County Municipal Building?  Or maybe one of the schools would be willing to offer a library for the meeting.  The DOE would love that! Not!

I like the fact the Delaware PTA is having these meetings.  At their annual conference in November, the DOE was there and used the same excuses they had in their letters to districts to give to parents if they make that decision.  As I have reported before, their letters are based on a misunderstanding of actual Delaware code and regulations.