Did you know that Delaware schools are among the worst in the country – ranked 48 out of 50 states? And Delaware will be the worst state in the country in educational outcomes in less than three years at the rate it’s currently declining. That’s unacceptable.
Education affects nearly everything. Because we have poor schools, we have fewer new companies relocating to Delaware, meaning fewer new jobs. Young adults are unable to find good-paying jobs, leading to hopelessness, addiction, and crime. The fact that none of the issues in our schools have been addressed at the federal or state level is a failure of leadership, plain and simple.
I believe that every child deserves a quality education regardless of their zip code or family’s income. We need to expand school choice so parents can send their kids to schools that make a difference – whether those schools are public, private, or parochial. We need to expand national testing so we can track the progress of individual students over time – and we should reward great teachers who improve student progress with bonuses. And we need to give at-risk kids extra support and help rather than passing them to the next grade and setting them up for failure in the future.
Like most of you, I believe that schools are for reading, writing, and math, not for culture wars. With so few proficient students, it’s time we got back to the basics.