Delaware breaks its funding expenditures for schools into nine categories.

Here’s how Delaware slices its school funding pie

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

One might find it hard to believe that laundry, driver’s ed and athletic travel and equipment are considered “instructional costs” in Delaware public schools, but they are.  Instruction is one of nine categories of funding for the First State’s public schools.  It makes up 55.28% of the spending for the 23-24 school year, totaling $1,584,970,346, according to the Delaware State …

Several Milford board members were vocally opposed to self-directed student learning days.

Student-directed learning days get thumbs down in Milford

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

A proposed way to teach through “self-directed student learning time” was met with criticism from several members of the Milford School District. Four of those learning days were proposed in the 2024-2025 academic year calendar presented to the district’s school board during its monthly meeting Monday night. “I’m not an educator but I am a parent,” said Board President Scott …

Rendering of the entryway to the new Milford middle school.

New Milford middle school has 4 finalists for name change

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

The new Milford middle school, a key component of Milford School District’s strategic plan to accommodate rapid enrollment growth, will soon be getting a formal name. The school, under construction at 612 Lakeview Avenue in Milford, is expected to open in fall 2024. It is part of the five-year Milford School District Strategic Plan, adopted in 2023. The district is …

Teacher absenteeism is affecting different districts in unique ways.

Teacher absenteeism calls for staff flexibility, strategies

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

A human resources director for the largest school district in Sussex County shocked a House Education Committee hearing in April when she told them about 300 of its 1,000 educators are off on any given school day. About 800 of those educators are teachers, and their absenteeism rains down problems for the district, said Celeste Bunting, director of human resources …

Milford's school taxes are going down .6% for next year.

Milford votes to decrease taxes for next year

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

Residents of the Milford School District are officially getting a tax decrease for the seventh straight year. After the district’s chief financial officer Sara Hale presented the tax proposal for the 2023-24 school year at the school board’s June meeting (to much applause and gratitude from members), the board voted unanimously Monday night to approve next year’s tax rate.  “Since …

Milford Schools propose tax decrease for 7th straight year

Jarek RutzHeadlines

Residents in the Milford School District could have yet another tax decrease next year, which would be the seventh straight year the district has approved a decrease. Sara Hale, chief operating officer of the district, presented school tax rate data to the district’s school board Monday reflecting a tax decrease of .6% for next year. Most notably, the district is …