Center For Education Excellence


Center For Education Excellence

 
The videos below were recorded during AFP & CRI's Education Freedom event held last Sept. 2023. Many people attended this event and found value in the presentations, so we were encouraged to share some key points from that night!
 
  • Delaware Public Schools: Tops in Spending, Bottom in Academic Performance.
  • The Shocking Truth about Student and Teacher Absenteeism.
  • An innovative Approach to Education.
  • The Importance of a Two-Parent Home to their Child's Education.
 
Delaware Public Schools: Tops in Spending, Bottom in Academic Performance
 The Shocking Truth About Student and Teacher Absenteeism
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
An Innovative Approach to Education  The Importance of a Two-Parent Home to their Child's Education
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Despite the state’s standing as a corporate capital and reputation as a model of business efficiency, the business of education in Delaware is in dire need of a drastic upgrade.

The statistics are alarming. According to worldpopulationreview.com, in 2020, Delaware had the 11th highest spending per student in the country at $15,639. However, in terms of outcomes, according to the Nation's Report Card, in 2019 (the most recent pre-pandemic year):
 
  • only 31% of students statewide were proficient in reading, and
  • only 29% were proficient in math.
 
Due to the pandemic and remote learning, many parents became aware of their children’s schools’ deficiencies and were more motivated to have a role in their children's education.

Utilizing strategies that have been successfully employed elsewhere, CRI will continue to educate the public about the problems caused by school boards that are influenced more by teachers' unions than the local community, as well as advocate for changes in teacher evaluations so they are based on changes in student test scores over time.
 
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In addition to focusing on the issues below, CRI will educate the public about the problems caused by school boards and legislators who are influenced more by teachers' unions than by the local community, as well as advocate for changes in teacher evaluations so they are based on changes in student test scores over time.
 
  • Delaware is the fourth worst performing state on the National Assessment of Educational Progress while being the ninth highest in spending per student out of all 50 states - spending over $17,000 per student.
 
  • According to the Nation's Report Card, in 2019 (the most recent pre-pandemic year):  32% of students were proficient in ELA and 34% of students were proficient in math. The scores have decreased alarmingly since COVID-19 with Delaware experiencing the largest declines in the country between 2019 and 2022.
 
  • Delaware has experienced a disproportionate increase in non-educational spending over the past 20 years. Spending on teachers has increased in proportion to the increase in students - both at 11%. Support services on the other hand have experienced a 49% increase over the same period. Reallocating funds toward teacher salaries instead of non-educational expenses is necessary to improve education in Delaware.
 
  • Delaware is seeing an increase in the level of discipline, violence and bullying in schools. This is due in part to “restorative justice” policies that have replaced traditional discipline. School closures, remote learning, and mental health concerns resulting from the statewide response to COVID-19 have also likely contributed to this increase in school discipline problems.
 
  • The state is experiencing a shortage of several hundreds of teachers likely due to the lack of discipline, the focus on activism instead of on academics, and the frustration and stress resulting from the state’s response to COVID-19.
 
  • Delaware has a very high level of student absenteeism. One quarter of students are “chronically absent” meaning that they miss at least one out of every 10 days of school. A return to consistent recording of absences and follow up with students who are missing can turn this problem around.
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All scores are the % of students performing at grade level or above on the test.   The test used for Elementary Schools (ES) and Middle Schools (MS) is Smarter Balanced:  English Language Arts (ELA) and Math portions. The test used for Hig...

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PDF Doc

The Reason Foundation, a public policy think tank in California, compiled data from the U.S. Census from 2002 to 2020. They have kindly shared their data with the Caesar Rodney Institute and given us access to their interactive map of the country and their various graphs depicting education spending...

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