Milford School District Plans for Growing Enrollment

Milford School District is grappling with capacity challenges at Milford High School. (Photo courtesy of Milford School District.)

MILFORD — With continued growth in student enrollment and projections pointing to even more students in the coming years, Milford School District is grappling with capacity challenges—particularly at Milford High School.

Current enrollment across the district (excluding Pre-K) stands at 4,629 students, an increase of approximately 435 students over the past five years. Of that total, 1,417 students attend Milford High School, which has become the primary point of concern in terms of overcrowding.

“The high school is where the biggest challenges lie,” said Matt Bucher, Vice President of the Milford School Board.

Projected Growth Accelerating

Projections show that by 2028, the district will need to accommodate an additional 125 to 130 students per year, due to steady population growth. The increase is driven largely by the number of new housing developments and families moving into the district, which spans Milford, Lincoln, Houston, Ellendale, Redden, Milford Neck, Slaughter Beach, and Abbott’s Mill.

“For all the talk about retirees moving here from out of state, it would appear that Milford School District… [is] proving very attractive to younger families with children as well,” Bucher said.

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Current Infrastructure: How Long Can It Hold?

Earlier this year, the district implemented a major restructuring of grade levels, anchored by the opening of a new Middle School. Bucher notes that this change has helped relieve some pressure, particularly in the elementary grades.

“We now have four schools that are handling our elementary age children,” Bucher explained. “Pre-K and 1st–4th grades are now in a position where we have bought ourselves perhaps five years or better… The Middle School (5th–6th grades) [is] in a very good position… for at least the next decade.”

However, at the Central Academy and Milford High School, space is tighter.

“Milford High School is the primary source of parent complaints,” Bucher said. “Class schedules and hallway travel time between classes have long been compressed. It has proven a challenge to navigate individual student schedules to provide time for movement from one class to another.”

District Seeking State Support

To address the high school’s capacity issues, the district has submitted a Certificate of Necessity (CN) to the State of Delaware for a major renovation and expansion of Milford High School, both in the previous and current year.

“As is public knowledge… none of the various [CNs] filed by the various public school districts in the state were approved,” Bucher noted. “We have been told to keep filing to demonstrate our commitment and need.”

Even if approved, Milford would be in a queue behind other districts with similar or greater needs. The CN process is required to secure state funding for school construction and renovation projects.

Short-Term Measures and Long-Term Goals

To deal with current space limitations, several modular classrooms—some up to 20 years old—remain in use on the high school campus.

“[They] have been long deployed… to mitigate what would otherwise be crowded conditions,” said Bucher.

Looking ahead, the district aims to prioritize expandable, adaptable design in all future construction, as was done with the new middle school.

“The priority with the new Middle School was to design and execute a project that is relatively easily expandable and adaptable. The older buildings did not always have that option. It will be priority one for all future facilities,” Bucher stated.

Community Input Key to Planning

Bucher emphasized the importance of public input, referencing the community meetings held ahead of the middle school referendum.

“In the time leading up to the capital referendum for the Middle School, community meetings were conducted, and the District heard from the various stakeholders… I believe a similar process should take place for the renovation and expansion of any future facilities,” he said.

Encouraging Engagement

Bucher encourages community members to stay informed and engaged with the district’s planning efforts.

“All of the information I’ve shared here is available publicly, and most is archived in the Board Documents on MSD’s website,” he said. “I encourage the taxpayers, parents, and teachers to attend these meetings to keep informed.”

Despite the challenges, Bucher expressed confidence in the district’s position.

“Most Milford students grow up to be citizens of our shared group of communities. The people living in Milford School District have shown time and again that they value children, and they value safe, orderly, modern school facilities with room to grow,” he said. “Strong financial management and organic growth… have put Milford in as good a position as any Delaware public school district to do, at least, our local portion to provide just that.”