The newly formed Public Education Funding Commission (PEFC) in Delaware recently held its first two-day meeting to review the state’s current public education funding formula. The committee was established this year after an independent report recommended investing up to $1 billion more in education and implementing a weighted student funding formula. The committee is tasked with delivering recommendations by October 1, 2025, for implementation in the fiscal year 2027 budget plan.
During the meeting, members discussed whether the current formula should be entirely replaced or reworked, with concerns raised about the tight timeline. Some members, like Superintendent Kevin Carson, emphasized the need for more thorough discussions given the significant impact on a third of the state budget. However, others, including Kendall Massett from the Delaware Charter Schools Network, stressed the importance of sticking to the timeline to create a more equitable funding system that addresses the needs of every child in the state.
Acting Chair State Rep. Kim Williams plans to discuss the timeline issue with Chair State Sen. Laura Sturgeon, who was unable to attend the meeting. A decision on the timeline is expected to be made during the commission’s October meeting. The PEFC is seen as a critical step in reforming Delaware’s public education funding system to ensure equity and improve outcomes for all students in the state.
Source
Photo credit www.delawarepublic.org
