The Redding Consortium for Educational Equity digs deeper into what it will take to consolidate Northern New Castle County school districts.
One topic of discussion for the group examined its approach to reducing educational disparities within Brandywine, Christina, Colonial and Red Clay school districts. Members revisited how its framework should prioritize racial and economic disparities. And others questioned if more emphasis was needed for students enrolled in special education programs or who are English language learners.
The consortium's second version of the framework says it wants to improve access to strong schools, reduce racial and economic segregation, and "minimize change" to "preserve" existing school connections.
Dr. Deirdra Aikens on the consortium questioned how the consortium defines “strong schools” in its framework for student attendance and school boundaries. And she pointed out the goal of preservation and addressing inequalities were, "polarizing."
“To assign the students to spaces that are not economically or racially identifiable– which they are currently –but then to also preserve where they are in order to not have as much disruption...One of them is not going to be true in my mind," she said.
Another consortium member pointed out that if students from Christina or Colonial schools are sent to another school, then numbers of students being moved and capacity of receiving buildings needs to be established.
Another factor the Consortium for Educational Equity wrestled with were its pay guidelines, as it considers ways to attract and retain teachers to high needs schools.
Some members, including EastSide Charter School Chief Executive Officer Aaron Bass, said actual salary costs will be part of collective bargaining and the Redding Consortium doesn’t carry real influence on pay decisions.
He said his understanding in planning for a new school district is, "we have no authority...to do collective bargaining of an entity that doesn't exist right now."
And he said the consortium should qualify its decision making and authority in writing, including, "some type of system that we decide what we're making decisions for, what we're giving input for, what we need to approve and ratify."
State senator Tizzy Lockman said if the consortium wants its recommendations to be taken seriously, some pay and cost analysis needs to be included.
Another member points out the group’s salary recommendations should incorporate the fact consolidation means the combined districts will operate under one school property tax.
The consortium will begin to distill these high-level discussions into hard proposals at its upcoming retreat Saturday. It's expected to vote on its first set of planning recommendations December 3.
