The Wilmington Learning Collaborative faced a gloomy budget season with a potential 80% cut in state funding looming over its Wednesday meeting.
The Department of Education’s budget allocated $10 million to the WLC in FY26, but its proposed budget for FY27 includes just $2 million for the group, which some WLC members interpreted as a potential phase-out.
For now, the WLC remains responsible for the salaries of 30 positions across nine schools.
Brandywine School District superintendent Lisa Lawson said the budget is top of mind for her and her colleagues on the Council – and they need to make time for more in-depth conversations about it.
“I do think it needs a working session, and we need to significantly think about whether – if our salary costs are outweighing our actual budget – we're going to have to start making different decisions about how we move forward even for next year,” Lawson said.
The collaborative also anticipates carryover funds totalling $1.2 million. But that amount could drop to $1 million or less depending on how this fiscal year closes out, according to WLC CFO Devon McMillian. Overall, the WLC’s payroll projections for Fiscal Year 2027 total about $3.1 million.
WLC Chair Helen Anderson said as she and her colleagues make difficult decisions, they need to keep the public in the loop.
“Because everyone wants to know our outcomes,” Anderson explained. “They want to know what we're doing. But if we're stopping work because we can't fund it, that's a problem. So we're here for Wilmington children. We're here to make sure these schools have what they need, and we’ve got to do what we need to do on our end as a Council.”
WLC members acknowledged the potential need to alter their budget considering salary costs absorb the bulk of their available funds in FY27.
Gov. Matt Meyer said state officials may need to go back to the drawing board when it comes to funding in the March episode of Ask Governor Meyer.
He said that after the WLC announced their finances weren’t fully up to date when Meyer put his proposed budget together.
“If the schools are consolidated, that still leaves a big question for kids in Wilmington,” Meyer said. “Are kids in Wilmington going to get lost?... The Wilmington Learning Collaborative is doing a good job of focusing on ‘okay, what do Wilmington students need?’ And that’s going to be something – regardless of what’s in the budget this year – that’s going to be something that needs continued focus.”
WLC members are already working on a strategic roadmap for the group to plan out their goals moving forward. The draft prioritizes investing and retaining educators, meeting children's basic needs and including families in school decision making.
The WLC must announce its special session with at least a week’s notice to inform members of the public. The date for that has not been announced.
