Delaware spends about $1.6 billion per year on public education. Well invested, that kind of money can drive student performance to new heights. It can enable those serving students who need more support to hire the most qualified and gifted educators and to create great learning climates tailored to students’ needs. But it is equally clear that money alone cannot buy great education. School leaders and educators also need the capacity and flexibility to spend money well.

Public school funding is a key measure of the level of political and public support for public education. To ensure continued support, our finance system must be transparent so investments can be linked to student outcomes.

How Rodel Supports a Fair Funding System in Delaware

• Vision 2015 —The state’s plan for world-class education system recommends establishing a simple and fair funding system, including a weighted student funding formula, a cost efficiency analysis and a more simple and transparent system for allocating resources.

• LEAD Committee – The Leadership for Educational Achievement in Delaware (LEAD) Committee was established by Governor Ruth Ann Minner in 2007 through Executive Order #98, which charged the Committee with creating two reports on school finance based on the work of Vision 2015: the Cost Efficiency Study (2008)—which examined the efficiency of current spending and identified $86-158M that could be spent more efficiently—and the Education Funding Report, which makes recommendations for improving the system for funding generation and allocation. Rodel President and CEO Paul Herdman serves on LEAD (Leadership for Education Achievement in Delaware), a committee established to develop specific implementation plans for Vision 2015 and to advise the Governor and General Assembly on the creation of a world-class education system. Rodel also provides staff support to the Committee.

• Delaware Public Policy Institute (DPPI) – DPPI has produced two studies of education finance: “Toward More Effective Financing of Student Achievement in Delaware’s Schools” (2004), which examined the education finance system overall, and "How Good is Good Enough? Achievement, Spending, and Delaware's Future” (2007), which determined a per-pupil investment needed to bring students to high levels of achievement. Rodel President and CEO Paul Herdman serves on the DPPI Board, and The Rodel Foundation has supported DPPI with general operating support and support for the production of these reports.

Related Resources

• Toward More Effective Financing of Student Achievement in Delaware’s Schools, 2004.
• How Good is Good Enough? Achievement, Spending, and Delaware's Future, 2007.