The commission tasked with studying Delaware’s funding formula for public education on the heels of a report suggesting spending should be increased by upward of $1 billion annually has a large hill to climb.

That’s hampered by an information gap, after a recent survey determined that a large number of the commission members don’t feel they have enough of a grasp on the current or proposed funding systems to formulate a plan.

In recent years, Delaware has come under scrutiny for the way its public education system is funded.  like the Delaware NAACP and Delawareans for Educational Opportunity filed a lawsuit arguing that the state’s education system did not provide an adequate education to all students and therefore violated their rights.

A national consultant, the American Institutes for Research, completed an independent assessment of education funding in Delaware as part of , where it  that the state increase spending by as much as $1 billion to meet its 2030 educational proficiency goals.

After both Democratic and Republican members of the State Senate’s Education Committee raised concerns in a March meeting over how the sum would affect taxpayers, however, the legislature chose to create the Public Education Funding Commission (PEFC) to examine the recommendation.

In its Nov. 13 meeting, the commission released its anonymous survey about whether Delaware should try to reform and improve the longstanding unit count formula that determines state funding support for public schools statewide, or scrap it altogether and create a weighted student formula that many other states have moved to in recent years.

About 48% of respondents said they were neutral, not sure or needed more information. In comparison, 33% voted for improving the current system and 19% voted for creating a brand new system. Ten members of the 31-member commission, which includes legislators, Cabinet leaders, teachers, principals, support professionals, and community advocates, did not respond to the survey.

State Senator and Commission Chair Laura Sturgeon (D-Brandywine Hundred) made it clear that she wished the PEFC’s first two meetings would have provided the “foundational knowledge” necessary to make a decision to rebuild or remodel the current system.

The PEFC’s next two meetings will focus on how public education funding works in Delaware, and specific examples of what a total rebuild would look like, compared to a remodel with small or large changes. Sturgeon added that she hopes people will feel more comfortable choosing a direction after the December and February meetings.

Commission members’ need for more information comes after discussions about pushing back the timeline for issuing final recommendations, which  who argue that the state has been debating and studying the issue for nearly 20 years without making substantive changes.

The commission was slated to submit its first set of recommendations by Oct. 1, 2025, to be considered in the governor’s recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2027. However, the commission previously discussed submitting its recommendations in July 2026 instead, which would delay possible funding until the budget for Fiscal Year 2028.

Although future meetings aim to provide more knowledge, some members were quick to point out that their peers should be doing their own research on the public education funding system rather than waiting for the information to be given.

“Today, a lot of us have been really quiet, but we really need that input if we’re going to move forward and if we’re going to make these transformational changes that we really want in our education system, because it’s too important for us to sit back, be quiet and wait,” said commission member Marcus Wright, who is also a member of the Seaford School District Board of Education. “We’ve got to go out, we’ve got to do the work. We got to do some research on our own as well.”

Wright called on members to lean on those who are on the commission to help “gain the knowledge that you need so that we can move forward.”

Wright also pointed out that the commission doesn’t have much time to form its recommendations, and that the work is too important to do in two-hour blocks once every month.

Sturgeon agreed and called on members to voice their opinions more and said that the commission has also provided reading materials to help people feel more comfortable with the topic.

“I know we’re all super busy, and so just encouraging you to read what you can or ask questions,” Sturgeon said. “Call us, meet with us, meet with whoever, and then when you feel like you understand it well enough please voice your opinion, and please don’t be afraid of having an opinion and then changing your mind later.”

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In the decades since, the nation has seen meaningful progress. Attainment gaps, while still present, have narrowed. English learners receive more targeted support, and students with disabilities have greater opportunities to learn in mainstream classrooms.

Even as educators celebrate that progress, we cannot deny that the country still fails to provide equal educational opportunity for all students — particularly those who are Black or Latino or who live in low-income communities.

The most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress exam showed of eighth graders are proficient in reading, and reach that bar in math. Outcomes for students from low-income households are even worse, with only 18% proficient in reading and 13% in math. Black and Latino students similarly trail white students.

These unacceptable outcomes reflect persistent inequities in resource allocation. On average, high-poverty districts receive in public education funding, primarily from state and local governments, than low-poverty districts. Those gaps translate into diminished learning opportunities, most notably in access to experienced and effective teachers. High-poverty schools experienced educators, with schools predominantly serving students of color being to employ uncertified teachers as those that have the fewest.

As a former civil rights lawyer, I saw the power and the limitations of the act to remedy these pernicious inequities. It has enabled attorneys to sue when there is evidence of non-compliance, such as delays in implementing special education services or disproportionate tracking of Black and Latino students into remedial classes. In my experience, those cases were largely successful, with judges calling for corrective actions. But too often, school systems ignored or only partly implemented judges’ orders, forcing attorneys to sue again. 

I joined KIPP, the nation’s largest network of public charter schools, after recognizing that while legal advocacy is essential, true progress requires transformational change led by those with the direct power to improve the nation’s education system.

Obviously, this includes efforts to guarantee access to high-quality public schools in every community, a promise stated in the act that remains unfulfilled.

In a world where patterns of residential segregation persist, the country needs bold, coordinated investments to ensure that all students receive a great education in their neighborhood. These include federal incentives to foster equity and innovation, with true accountability for results. A few areas where policymakers can begin enacting the required changes include:

• Prioritizing the critically important role of teachers. The federal government should launch a Marshall Plan for educators, reimagining the country’s approach to teacher preparation and backing salary increases to attract more qualified applicants. By investing in teacher recruitment and development, schools can both increase the skill level of new teachers and the capacity of veterans to drive the educational improvements children deserve, while improving diversity in the teacher workforce and ensuring the best-prepared educators work in the schools where they are most needed. 

• Revolutionizing the federal approach to school funding. Research increased education spending can lead to improved outcomes — but too frequently, federal dollars are allocated without sufficient guardrails, leading to programs being financed with little evidence. Federal funding must instead support proven strategies that drive outcomes for students. This means targeting resources toward evidence-based interventions such as literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading, along with robust accountability to ensure those resources translate into better results for students. Such efforts tend to meet resistance from across the ideological spectrum — teachers unions sometimes bristle at accountability measures, while conservative officials often resist federal oversight. But policymakers must have the courage to put students’ needs first.

• Ensuring access to rigorous college preparatory coursework. All students deserve an education that prepares them for lifelong success, including access to eighth-grade algebra, Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses, and advanced math and science classes that are prerequisites for admission to selective colleges. Currently, high schools in low-income communities are to offer calculus and physics than those predominantly serving more affluent students. Innovative approaches such as partnerships with local colleges can prevent students from being locked out of opportunity based on their zip code. 

No nation can thrive if large segments of its population receive a sub-par education that constrains economic and social mobility. The Equal Educational Opportunities Act was a critical step in making the nation’s public education system more equitable and effective. Now, it’s time to build on that legacy and take the bold actions needed to truly transform America’s schools and create a more just and prosperous society for all.