Delaware’s students are in crisis. New national and state test results show steep declines in reading and math proficiency — only 41% of students meet reading standards and 34% meet math. Teachers are overburdened with nonacademic duties, while programs meant to close achievement gaps show little progress. Delaware must urgently refocus on classroom instruction, evidence-based reading, and teacher support to restore literacy, accountability, and student success.

Yes, Build Small Modular Reactors in Delaware By  David T. Stevenson , Director Center for Energy & Environmental Policy September 30, 2025. (updated 9/30/2025)     To determine whether it is wise to build nuclear small modular reactors (SMRs) in Delaware, the state's Nuclear Energy Task Force must answer a list of questions. Many of those answers are already clear: we can and should build SMRs in Delaware. Technical and Logistical Feasibility   In 2023, Dr. Kathryn Huff, the

Delaware’s New Hybrid Vehicle Fee Doesn’t Add Up Hybrid owners already pay fuel taxes and higher purchase costs - yet now face a $60 annual fee that delivers little revenue and questionable results.   By  David T. Stevenson , Director Center for Energy & Environmental Policy September 15, 2025 (updated Sept. 24, 2025) Delaware's new $60 annual vehicle registration fee on gasoline hybrids should be cut in half. The math shows a fair charge would be closer to $30 a year.   This

Delaware Policy Choices Caused the Property Tax Problem By Charlie Copeland Center for Economic & Fiscal Policy September 24, 2025 The recent property tax reassessment in New Castle County (NCC) has stirred public debate, with homeowners facing higher tax bills while many commercial properties saw their assessments fall. On the surface, this might seem like a quirk of appraisal methodology. However, a deeper examination reveals a more fundamental truth: Delaware and NCC's eco

PJM Challenges the Narrative: What’s Really Driving Higher Electric Bills Rethinking Delaware's energy mandates and their impact   By  David T. Stevenson , Director Center for Energy & Environmental Policy September 9, 2025 PJM Interconnection, the organization that manages the electric grid for 13 states including Delaware, has confirmed what the Caesar Rodney Institute (CRI) has long argued: state mandates are raising bills and straining reliability. Delaware policymakers n

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Delaware's Top Revenue Sources: A Decade of Change    Tracking Delaware's Tax Shifts and What's Ahead By Charlie Copeland Center for Economic & Fiscal Policy September 6, 2024     "Sometimes called Delaware's 'hidden sales tax,' the tax is levied on the seller of goods and services in the state, rather than the consumer."-- Jonathan Starkey, former News Journal reporter and current Chief of Staff to Governor Carney writing about Delaware's Gross Receipts Tax.       In 2014, t

A quiet energy revolution is underway. Closed nuclear power plants are reopening, and new small modular reactors (SMRs)-using both traditional and advanced technologies-are under development, totaling more than three gigawatts of planned capacity. These plants are projected to begin generating electricity between 2027 and 2032, and national targets aim to triple nuclear capacity by 2050...

The Eight-Year Priorities of the Carney Administration By Charlie Copeland Center for Economic & Fiscal Policy August 9, 2024   "When somebody says it's not about the money, it's about the money." - H.L. Mencken   Politicians give many speeches and say many different things. They usually want to pander to the listening audience, whether a room full of partisans or a one-to-one conversation with a voter. But what they cannot obfuscate is where they spend the money. That is whe

The proposed New Castle County data center project—known as Project Washington and backed by developer Starwood Digital Ventures—could significantly affect Delaware's electricity supply and pricing. The project plans to buy power from Delmarva Power, with only limited on-site diesel or natural gas backup...