In spite of the sense of finality that may come with the approval of districts’ Race to the Top plans, there are a number of undetermined factors that could change their direction.

One of the major investment areas is low-performing schools. However, when up to six more schools are selected for the Partnership Zone in August/September, will the planning process and requirements associated change the RTTT investments and strategies?

Districts are budgeting with more than RTTT resources, and smart business managers know how to move funds around to maximize flexibility. As other resources become available through competitive opportunities or opportunities for low-performing schools—or as they become scarce, for example when EduJobs funds run out next year– could these change the use of RTTT funds?

Although plans are detailed, every partner has not been identified (some have, and those will be featured in future blogs). Will districts continue to rely on the typical partners in Delaware, will they reach out to new ones, and/or will they work collaboratively to negotiate contracts?

Much remains to be seen.

The first year of the 146^th General Assembly concluded last week; several bills and budget actions made progress toward education goals and positioned Delaware as a national leader. As always, more remains to be done, both on the issues addressed this year and others that remain unaddressed.

In a year when most states faced budget deficits, perhaps the most significant actions were the Governor’s targeted budget investments: the $22M early childhood investment and a $1.3M increase in higher education scholarships. The early childhood investment will increase Purchase of Care subsidies for child care by $9M, provide $10M in incentives for child care providers that achieve high quality ratings, and support these initiatives through $3M in infrastructure and merit awards. This investment positions Delaware competitively for the federal Early Learning Challenge Fund.

Charter school issues came to the fore and are targeted with HB 205, which provides greater oversight and accountability, and establishes an initial solution for turning around low-performing charters without having to close schools and disrupt communities. However, more remains to be done to create an environment that provides equitable funding for charters and an attractive policy environment, when other states are passing Delaware by.

Delaware began progress toward a Race to the Top commitment to improve data governance by passing HB 213, which adds members to the P-20 Council that will oversee the longitudinal, cross-agency data system. It also instructs the Department of Education to conduct audits and evaluations, including studies for improving instruction and complying with state and federal accountability measures; to collect data to effectuate those activities; and to promulgate regulations to govern the collection and use of educational records.

Other votes included HB 42 w/ HA2, requiring uniform school district discipline regulations, and HB 3, which prohibits district and charter schools from serving food with trans fats.

Another year has passed without attention to our 62-year old funding system, one of the most restrictive in the country. Until we provide more flexibility in how schools and districts use resources, we will continue to face challenges such as late teacher hiring and the inability to target resources to meet students’ needs.

We anticipate several other issues coming up again next year, including HB 107, which would raise the entry bar for teachers gaining initial licensure, and (as it seems to every year) school district consolidation, which was proposed in SB 5 and SJR 4.

The House Education Committee today unanimously passed House Bill 205, which would strengthen authorizer oversight of charter schools – which recent events demonstrate is needed – in order to minimize the impact of closing low-performing schools on students and families.  Several people throughout the hearing acknowledged the collaborative effort between the governor, DOE, DSEA, DCSN, and other stakeholders.  Those present highlighted that this is a necessary, yet long overdue, first step, and that there is still critical work to be done to level the playing field for all students and schools. 

At the meeting, many people pointed out that this legislation succeeds in minimizing poor performance, but doesn’t support increased access to excellence.  Greg Meece, Newark Charter School’s principal, highlighted that replication of high-performing schools is a great idea (not just for turning-around low-performing schools) and that we need to provide all students an equal chance through equitable funding.  In addition, Representative Ruth Briggs King expressed concern about impact language and its potential to limit successful charter school expansion, which she agreed helps traditional schools improve through choice and competition.      

In addition to House Bill 205, the committee highlighted that legislation will soon be filed around data governance, which is a first step towards what we committed towards doing in our Race to the Top application.  The legislation will add members to the P-20 Council, including those from DSEA, DCSN, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Social Services, and Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families.  The legislation would require regulations to be developed around data analysis and reporting protocols to ensure that they meet specific federal and state privacy laws (Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA).  

House Bill 205 , to be discussed today in the House Education Committee meeting, is an important first step in providing greater oversight for charters—for which the Reach situation has clearly demonstrated a need—and in establishing a solution for turning around low-performing charters in the future without having to close schools and disrupt families. However, it doesn’t go far enough to help create an environment where charter schools can thrive and be regarded as an integral part of Delaware’s overall education reform strategy.Charters should receive equitable funding and should be incorporated into the state’s strategy and vision for a high-performing portfolio of school options.Other states are passing Delaware by in terms of our ability to attract and support successful charter operators.

We support the following components of the bill:

• Providing additional financial and governance oversight, including required background checks of board members, annual financial auditing, and financial transparency.
• Requiring charter authorizers to consider (and not as the sole basis of approval) the impact of quick expansions (less than 18 months) of over 15% increases in enrollment; this will provide sufficient time for impacted schools to adjust programs and staffing.
• Solutions for potential school closings in the future, including earlier decision making by authorizers and the opportunity for qualified charter operators to take over struggling schools.

However, in order to ensure charter schools succeed, we need to level the playing field among schools as a state by providing more support and equitable funding.This includes:

• Enacting policies that promote replication of highly successful charter schools – and not just in the case of low-performing schools. This is the surest path to creating a vibrant and successful charter network and provides an immediate return on investment as stated by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers
• Provide equitable funding for charter schools – excluding capital (or facilities) funding. In 2009-2010, Delaware charter schools operated on $1,550 less/pupil than traditional districts. While some of this discrepancy in current expenses can be explained by special education enrollment, it is grossly unfair to charter families who pay the same taxes but receive unequal financial support to ensure their children’s academic success. At a minimum, the state should close the gap in local funding (which was over $1,300 in 2008-2009 ) and provide tax relief funds to all charter schools – which would significantly close the spending gap without requiring additional tax dollars.

Delaware’s weak statewide charter policy has led to many unfortunate, but avoidable, situations in charter schools over the course of the past year, including Moyer Academy , Pencader High, and Reach Academy. And while this bill might provide viable solutions for low-performing schools, it does little to nothing to encourage high-performing charters–such as Achievement First, KIPP, Uncommon Schools and others that have expressed an interest in coming here– to set up shop in Delaware and serve our highest-need students.

Ultimately, Delaware’s charter schools will continue producing mixed results unless we take a more proactive stance and approach charters not as a threat to district effectiveness, but as an integral part of our overall state strategy to increase student achievement. HB 205 is a step in the right direction, and we look forward to working with stakeholders—including the Governor, General Assembly, State Board, Department of Education, and Charter School Network— over the coming year to do even more.