Last month, I had the 
opportunity to attend a great meeting (the Governor’s Every Student Succeeds Act Advisory Committee meeting) regarding how the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) should be implemented in Delaware! I absolutely loved the mix of stakeholders involved in the planning and conversation.
However, there have been enough research and “needs assessments” completed over a span of decades, and one in 2016, to understand what the “needs” are in order to create a new, improved, and progressive public education system where every child across the State of Delaware, especially our most vulnerable, can succeed.
We already know the current system is ineffective. We don’t need new research to reach the same conclusion.
What we need in place is a cohesive plan of action made up of DE Secretary of Education, educators, parents, administrators, school boards, and community organizations not only to discuss the issues and types of supports needed at each Delaware school but to implement the solutions proposed year after year, after year, after year…
Developing a plan without clear and coordinated action and accountability measures will result in the same dilapidated condition of our state’s public school system for far too long!
The time for revamping our antiquated funding structure for schools based on property and school taxes is now!
The time for providing human services, academic, and community supports in all Delaware public schools, beginning with the schools identified during the last assessment, and the one before that, and the one before that is now!
The time for implementing solutions after painstaking research was carefully gathered and conducted by the University of Delaware as commissioned by Governor Markell’s administration in partnership with the WEIC is now! What are we waiting for?
The time for discussion without a clear plan of action and approved allocated funding has long passed!
The time for coordinated action, benchmarks, and accountability measures in a system carefully designed so that children who are most vulnerable attending Delaware schools have the supports they need (so they don’t perpetuate the cycle of poverty and prison) in place right at the schools they attend is now.
“Research time” and wasting money on “independent consultants” is over. Our children are dying waiting. Let’s work together to implement solutions! Our children who are our family’s, our state’s, and our country’s hope and future can no longer afford to wait.
I care enough to be a part of the solution, how about you?
Marsha Hinson is the Education and Youth Committee Chair for the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League Young Professionals. She was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware.
The next ESSA meeting is scheduled for Feb 2nd at 6 pm. Click here to add it to your calendar!
Urgency of Now 