The Delaware Department of Education (DOE) is requesting a 9% budget increase while concerns over student outcomes persist.
Public education funding makes up a third of Delaware’s state operating budget and is now the largest spending category for the First State, totaling 36% of operating appropriations at over $2 billion.
DOE was awarded $2.16 billion for the current fiscal year and is now requesting close to an additional $200 million largely to support personnel salaries, enrollment growth and positions for school mental health professionals.
As Delaware’s education spending continues to increase while student outcomes hit record lows, Joint Finance Committee member State Sen. Dave Lawson (R-Marydel) told new Secretary of Education Cindy Marten he hopes to see proficiency improvements within the next year.
“I expect to see solid results of what's going on because I can't go out and sell the Department of Education to the public — the taxpayers who are footing this $2.355 billion dollar budget," he said.
Delaware was recently ranked in the top 15 of state’s per pupil spending but is frequently placed in the bottom five states for educational outcomes.
One of the most notable budget request increases is $13.4 million to support mental health professionals and services within public schools.
The funds would continue to advance legislative efforts that began in 2021 to implement at least one school counselor or social worker per 250 students in grades k-12.
The funds additionally support one school psychologist for every 700 students.
While the funding has largely been implemented in k-8 public schools, DOE is in the home stretch of baking the high school positions into the state’s operating budget.
“The recommended budget also included an additional $5 million for a total of $15 million to provide block grant funding for House Bill 200 of the 152 General Assembly, which is the high school mental health support," DOE Associate Secretary of Special Operations Kim Klein said.
The state also slightly over estimated projected student enrollment growth for the current fiscal year, returning around $3.2 million to the department’s budget.
Gov. Matt Meyer is still anticipated to propose his own recommended budget in the coming weeks, and with education being his administration’s top priority, the amount DOE is requesting is subject to change.
