Responses to Delaware State Education Association
Section 1: Overview of Delaware’s Public School Systems and RBK’s priorities.
I begin my comments as a Delaware public school graduate, a mother of public-school graduates, former educator, legislator, and grandmother of students currently in Delaware’s public school system. The “system” is struggling with various issues and has lost its focus of the objective of education. The system is trying to be the remedy for all things; therefore, it is reacting to outside pressures without a clear and consistent approach. Each year political agendas are interfering with sound educational strategies and the unintended consequences of their agendas are pervasive and prevalent in our schools. It is a piecemeal approach rather than a strategy that embraces the science of learning and the art of teaching. I have great respect for our teachers, leaders, and school staff, but the system is not allowing these experts to implement instruction using sound strategies. Simply put, I am disappointed like most Delawareans when I read how far we have fallen in our education achievements. We must admit this current reality but refuse to accept this status as our future. We are better and we can do better!
Three critical aspects of education that embrace the needs of our students include: quality leadership in education, qualified and empowered educators, and school staff as well as engaged and informed parents. Quality leadership will ensure the resources needed are well known. Moreover, leadership will advocate for sound policy as well as support for education. All school personnel are important and critical to success and student outcomes. Respect and empowerment of school personnel is the key to students achieving and the community growing. Schools are more than capable of inviting and engaging parents in the conversation and outcome of quality education. Most parents are concerned and interested in their child’s success; however, few know how to become more than an observer, what questions to ask, or how to best help their children succeed in school. It is use of our ABCs: By creating awareness, encouraging Buy-in, schools can achieve Commitment.
My top three educational priorities are as follows:
1) Address conflicts and confusion regarding disruptive student behavior and improvement of the school climate and educational environment. A first step would be the implementation of a statewide school climate survey for parents, students, and staff. This would provide information that can inform and provide valuable feedback to shine the light on areas to reallocate or better allocate funding. Ensure “no shame and no blame” but true insight to issues and feelings.
2) Improve and incentivize the retention and recruitment of school personnel which includes pathway to talent and professional development. Ensure pathways to professional development and compensation do not rely on a teacher vacating their classroom to earn more income. Further promote, “grow your own” programs and use some existing models to engage minority recruitment.
3) Provide equity in funding that is not dependent on zip code and ensure the money follows the student and reaches the classroom.
On a much broader basis I would like to address chronic absenteeism for both students and teachers. Delaware recently reported that 23% of students were chronically absent and this was much higher in Wilmington, where some schools had ¾ of students miss more than 10% of the year’s instructional days. We must identify the root causes of why and work collaboratively with schools, parents, and community partners to address this growing issue. Ironically, I believe that by addressing one and two as noted above we could provide relief and a remedy to overcome chronic absenteeism. We need both student and teacher in the classroom!
In response to your questions:
Section 2: School Funding
During my tenure in the General Assembly, I was asked to participate in at least two taskforces to discuss school funding. I patiently listened to the District Finance officials “fight to retain” the current system they understood and used to their advantage. The funding system in Delaware has been untouched since 2009 when they stopped equalization funds. “Rich districts” do not want to send their revenue to “poor districts” and the battle continues. As a member of the Joint Finance Committee I asked, “why are we not appropriating funds to equalization?” I was told until reassessment occurs there is no need to fund. “It doesn’t work.” Naturally, I asked when will we reassess? And I was told…not when I am Speaker.” As we know, a Judge sentenced the State and County to fix the inequity. Reassessment will not cure the illness. Funding should be equitable and not dependent on zip code. We have four separate mechanisms to fund public school and the inequity is well known.
As Lt. Governor, I would like to focus one of my three initiatives on education while ensuring our stakeholders in education were the focus of any action. We need to revisit the consultants’ recommendations and challenge the status quo in education. Ironically, at the end of this session another Funding Committee was formed. How many times must we revisit the issue before acting? As Lt. Governor, I will work with this commission and push for change to address the inequities and make sure we not only properly fund education but that we are allowing for the funds to be utilized in the manner that best supports our students.
My past efforts and results for championing educational resources for special needs and EL are well known. As a State representative for 14 years, I represented one of the fastest growing and most diverse districts in the State. At one time, Georgetown Elementary had 93% EL students. The district was making big strides to provide exceptional opportunities using local funds to meet the challenges. Upon urging, the Governor provided special funds to address the gap. Likewise, homelessness has a significant impact on local funds to provide transportation door to door for these displaced students. Once again, the burden is born by the local funds. The actual cost and investment are not known by many, and these unfunded mandates take classroom money and reallocated disproportionally. Years later I stood at graduation watching those same EL students be recognized as eight of the eleven top international baccalaureate students in the school. I would focus on the allocation of funds and ensure that money follows the student.
Equally important, the investment in education means proper allocation of funds based on the type of student enrolled. We all know that high needs students require more of an investment; however, we should strive to ensure that all students, rather gifted or talented, EL, homeless, low socioeconomic, or students with disabilities need to receive the best opportunities for their preferred outcomes. This means ensuring there are adequate career and technical classrooms as well as advanced AP classroom. To achieve these lofty goals, we must provide talent development among our paraprofessionals as well as other professionals in our educational system. We need to create a culture and climate in schools that focuses on learning and individual achievement. Students will model the behavior and expectations that are observed. Furthermore, we must revisit funding for new schools and renovations. Crowded hallways, insufficient classrooms, and capacity issues impact the school climate as well as classroom instruction. High growth areas cannot gain public support for referendum and the issues grow.
In closing, I previously mentioned we need to respond to challenging the status quo. The Delaware way may not be the best path forward to meet the changing needs in Delaware schools. We need to embrace innovative ideas, technology and priorities which include AI and other advances to meet the future and help Delaware be among the first again.
Section 3: Compensation
As a Human Resources professional, you must invest in your workforce which includes more than wages. It is an atmosphere that respects the work ethic, respects personal time and personal development, and provides equity in wages. Years ago, when I realized that our paraprofessionals were undercompensated, I made a commitment to fight for funding over a period of years and my commitment was fulfilled. A few years ago, I made the same commitment to increase substitute teacher rates, and to reinstate funding for professional certification. Past performance is an indicator of commitment and that is also evidenced by my support last year of increasing minimum rates and steps for educators. It is also notable that I have fought for compensation for bus drivers and other school personnel who are often forgotten but those we are dependent on in the education system. Our teachers, students and community depend on the custodians, nutrition staff, counselors, school safety officers and financial secretaries and I will continue to strive for fair compensation. When I first started teaching, I was told, “take care of the staff because they take care of you.”
Additional stipends, retention bonuses and longevity bonuses or salary adjustments are routine and necessary in areas that face critical issues and shortages. In Delaware this includes many occupations; therefore, it is fitting for those in high need areas to provide alternate incentives for teachers. The policy needs to be fair and consistent and driven by need as well as be transparent, so all teachers feel valued, but incentives exist for those with more difficult assignments.
I believe you must be careful once you start to define special skills and compensation to avoid the perception of preferential treatment for anything other than knowledge and skill. Experienced teachers may have acquired techniques and skills while newer teachers may have credentials. Each has value. The determination of compensation needs to be firm, fair, consistent, and transparent.
During COVID we saw how quickly our educational system could “revamp” and move forward. While we lost previous ground, we learned about resiliency and that we do not have to assess and prove every theory before adapting to change. As we move forward, education must be nimbler and rely on and trust our teachers’ ability to adapt and to change. Too often I have seen newer teachers with exposure to newer concepts “sidelined” and forced to “do it our way.” Every day there is a new issue that many think education should address; however, each time we take a turn we lose momentum toward our basic goal in education. Unless we extend the school day, or the school year, we face continual challenges of too much to do in the time we are provided.
Section 4: Retirement
First, the “current” retirement program for public education and state employees varies greatly. There are three pension programs for the DSP and varied pension programs for former administrators and former teachers. It is difficult to make a broad statement about the “current” pension program. The programs have each encountered various changes. Once again, my concern is equity. You can have the “same” pension program for all Delaware employees, or your can have pensions determined by collective bargaining agreements.
Three years ago, I was asked to serve on the Governor’s Other retirement employment benefit review taskforce (OREB). One of the first suggestions I made was to survey the employees for their thoughts and input on retirement benefits. Unfortunately, they did choose not to employ this valuable tool until after the SBEC announced their proposed change in Medicare plans.
Most of those I know that have retired from education and other state employment are incredibly happy with their pension and other retirement benefits. On the other hand, pensioners in their advanced ages of eighty to one hundred years of age do not have pensions adequate for the inflation and cost of living expenses today. While on Joint Finance I worked to see if we could provide stability and a regular increase for pensioners. I was often told that we must choose to maintain the level of benefits or provide a 1% increase in pensions. The increase in benefit cost was more than 1%. Legislators have a choice, honor commitments to pensioners or fund new spending. Unfortunately, many focus on politics and funding new programs, I choose to honor those commitments before new spending.
I have already mentioned the eight-to-nine-billion-dollar deficit in the other retirement benefits. Sadly, Governor Minner knew about this and had a taskforce issue a report in 2009. All the subsequent administrations kicked the can down the road, and we are now at the end of that road. This unfunded liability jeopardizes our bond rating which can have a significant impact on our borrowing and capitol projects. The records will indicate that I suggest a balanced approach. When the State had extra revenue from DEFAC, I suggested we increase the funds to the Trust fund for OREB and the director of OMB said, “Rep. that is a drop in the bucket” to which I replied it showed effort and intent. That bucket was created in 2009 and rarely or consistently funded while at the same time Delaware’s budget has significantly expanded. Therefore, my response would be to make consistent payment to the trust fund a priority and to revise the retirement options for new hires. Currently, active Delaware employees are all incurring increased health care costs to defray the cost of retiree healthcare. The state must rebalance since we will soon have more retirees than active employees.
Section 5: Workers ‘Rights and tenure”
I can safely say that I am the only candidate for Lt. Governor in Delaware that has been a member of DSEA. I saw the value and benefits of becoming a member. Years later, I lead a 2400-member non-profit organization. I understand that an association must provide value and be responsive to their members. Joining is a choice and if the organization is not meeting the needs the member has the ultimate choice. Unfortunately, many organizations focus on their mission and over time forget their members thus becoming irrelevant. In closing, I believe in the concept and the value of collective bargaining units and have assisted many of those units in Delaware.