Below is my statement from the recent board meeting concerning the proposed reform of Christina schools in Wilmington and the points I raised about Wilmington education to the Governor.
John Kowalko
State Representative
25th District
Nine other legislators and I attended a meeting called by Governor Carney less than a week ago purportedly to discuss the proposed Wilmington school reform plan and MOU proposal. Since we weren’t given copies of the MOU and it doesn’t seem to be available any longer at the link the Administration provided, I cannot offer or challenge some of the specifics. At this meeting, the Governor suggested that the MOU draft submitted by DOE would be changed and this Board is not bound by it and should draft its own MOU proposal. The deadlines for Board action that the Governor and DOE appear to be imposing are substantively unrealistic and impractical for such a complex consideration with so many unanswerable questions.
Having examined some of the initial proposal and the details and expectations, it held has led me to conclude that this is not a well thought out plan, that raises more questions and challenges then it has answers for.
I distributed some of my points of concern to the Governor and DOE and have copies for you that I will distribute. Due to time constraints, I will try to focus on only a few of my concerns that I hope you will consider at this time.
I find it particularly harmful and hurtful to the Southbridge community, families, and children to propose closing Elbert Palmer, one of the true neighborhood schools in walking distance and accessible to this Wilmington community. I hope that this Board’s counter-proposal would support closing that tired old monolith known as Bancroft and refurbish Palmer, Pulaski, and Bayard to use for the suggested K-8 reconfiguration.
I also implore this Board to pay heed to the massive costs (which the Governor personally refused to speculate on) in refurbishing or renovating in order to make these consolidations. You should be acutely aware that any promise of funding cannot be guaranteed. In fact, I would urge you to recall this Administration’s recently passed budget with concurrence of this current General Assembly cut traditional public school revenues by more than $36 million. Restoring that $36 million in cuts and adding even a small percentage of the proposed renovation costs would be much more beneficial and effective for Wilmington students if allocated to create smaller classroom ratios and hire reading and math specialists.
As I’ve looked at this reform proposal and its details and drawing upon my 11 years of experience as a legislator I am forced to conclude that this is a no-win situation for Christina, this Board, and the children of Wilmington. Its predisposition to fail will be used to scapegoat the district and further stifle opportunities for Wilmington students and their families.
Finally, I would suggest that this Board consider that traditional public school funding has received reduced funding since 2009 now totaling over $65 million per year.
Ask the DOE and Governor:
- Who is going to pay for the renovations?
- Who is paying for longer school days and school years?
- Who is paying for vacation academies?
- Who is paying for after-school programs?
- And why aren’t Reading Specialists and funding for them part of this plan?
Questions for the Governor:
- If CSD does not approve MOU, more money will be taken from the District further harming prospects of Wilmington students and families. (“If it rejects the plan and fails to come up with an acceptable alternative, the agreement would be terminated immediately, resulting in the loss of any additional financial support for the district”).
- Bayard/Bancroft are not appropriate buildings for little children even if renovated. Bancroft too old to make usable with renovations.
- Trauma Training not necessarily (research?) effective but investing/funding 1 to 15 class size ratios would effectively improve the learning environment and outcomes.
- Palmer became the first equity lawsuit in Delaware when Christina District (at Lowery’s behest) tried to close it 10 years ago.
- Leaves no “Neighborhood Schools” for city children and in fact may violate the “Neighborhood Schools Legislation.”
- Bancroft is far away from Palmer and Southbridge children who now walk would be unable to continue that practice.
- Distinguish more specifically between renovate, refurbish, and reconfiguration.
- Why don’t we do things like more “successful” districts? The most successful programs such as in New York and Massachusetts fund “reading specialists” and lower class ratios.
- When the plan refers to “potentially” establishing “early childhood education” and “centers for students and families learning English” at a vacated Palmer are the planners aware that there are no ESL students at Palmer?
- Have you considered neighborhood “gangs” being integrated from across Wilmington into the same building?
- The suggested “Co-leadership” model, re: principals and assistant principals, belies the reality that these two jobs have never had the same duties and have always had designated responsibilities and functions.
- “Loan forgiveness stipend” to young and “inexperienced” teachers does not reflect any benefit to already established teachers who have devoted their careers to inner-city education. And “who” is paying for these loans?
- “Who” is paying for “longer school days/year”?
- “Who” is paying for “vacation academies”?
- “Who is paying for “after-school programing”?
- Why aren’t reading specialists part of this plan and therefore WHO IS PAYING FOR “READING SPECIALISTS” SO THAT CHILDREN ACTUALLY LEARN TO READ?
Representative John Kowalko