Delaware special education needs are growing sharply
Gov. Jack Markell's request to invest $11.3 million in early education is considered during session
Legislators peppered Secretary of Education Steven Godowsky with questions Wednesday about the rising number of students with special needs and the amount of testing and state bureaucracy.
Though, they seemed to give a warm reception to a proposal to pour $11.3 million into the state's early education programs.
Godowsky and other Department of Education officials presented their proposed budget for the next fiscal year to the Joint Finance Committee, a panel of lawmakers that writes the state budget.
The department has proposed spending $1.4 billion on schools, about 6.9 percent more than planned for the current fiscal year.
A big chunk of that increase comes from enrollment gains even though they are modest compared with previous years. The state is adding about 848 students designated as having special needs.
"That is a very significant number," said committee co-chair Rep. Melanie George Smith, D-Bear.
Department officials and several lawmakers said much of that increase was likely due to the state's recent efforts to better screen students to catch disabilities and learning differences. Godowsky said the department was working with the University of Delaware to study the state's population and see if the increase could be a long-term trend.
"We need to figure out, is this a short-term increase or is this the new normal?" said Sen. Brian Bushweller, D-Central Kent.
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The hearing did not get as heated as it did last year, when then-Education Secretary Mark Murphy asked lawmakers to set aside $7.5 million to sustain programs from the federal Race to the Top grant. Lawmakers balked at that, saying too many of the program's millions went to state bureaucracy instead of classrooms, and several legislators directly accused Murphy and the department of being out-of-touch with everyday teachers.
On Wednesday, a couple of committee members took shots at Murphy while praising Godowsky.
"I appreciate the breath of fresh air in your communication and being forward with us," said Sen. David Lawson, R-Marydel. "It's been a total 180 from the previous secretary."
Lawson said he still sees "serious problems" with a top-heavy educational system.
"Our teachers are encumbered by DOE, by the mandates that are coming down from DOE or maybe coming down from the federal government," Lawson said. "What can you do to get this off the teachers' back so they can teach from the heart?"
Godowsky said the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act took away some of the federal government's powers that led to friction with local districts. He said he has taken some steps to consolidate positions in the department and pointed to an effort underway to reduce testing.
"We heard and value your concerns and have made a genuine effort to address those issues," Godowsky said.
It's clear that there are more proposals for education programs than the state has money to pay for right now.
Rep. Earl Jaques, D-Glasgow and chair of the House Education Committee, ticked off a list for the committee. It included school security measures, like alarm systems and better locks; wellness centers in schools; changes to teacher pay, including possible raises; and after-school programs.
"I know it seems like we want more money, more money, more money, but we really do have some issues that we think need to be addressed," Jaques said.
Lawmakers spent a good bit of time considering Gov. Jack Markell's request to invest $11.3 million in early education, and many said they like the idea.
The funding would pay for reimbursements to highly rated preschool programs for low-income families and coaches to help centers improve.
It would also support scholarships to better train preschool workers and pay for screenings for disabilities, health issues and other problems that could affect learning.
What's particularly interesting about Markell's $11.3 million request is that it would have the state pick up the tab for a federal Early Learning Challenge grant that is expiring this year.
"At some point, we need to really evaluate some of the programs, not necessarily this program, but some of the total programs that, for one reason or another we don't have the funds anymore," said Rep. Joe Miro, R-Pike Creek Valley.
Contact Matthew Albright at malbright@delawareonline.com, (302) 324-2428 or on Twitter @TNJ_malbright.