Delaware’s public-school facilities are in dire need of increased investment. We, collectively, must find a way to address the growing education facility deficiencies in our school districts.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak before you today about our public-school facilities in Delaware. Public school buildings are the cornerstone of the communities they serve, and communities are often defined by their schools. One significant aspect that characterizes the quality of a school is the condition of the school facility and grounds.
Delaware’s public-school facilities are in dire need of increased investment. In order to provide a scope and magnitude of the issues, Delaware K-12 public school districts collectively operate over 215 facilities totaling just under 19 million square feet on approximately 4,000 acres. The FY-11 Condition Report of School Facilities in Delaware indicated that, at the time of its writing, “…71.73% of the educational facilities in Delaware exceed 50 years old.” The deferred maintenance of Delaware public schools has recently been estimated by the Department of Education to be approximately $1.5 Billion.
The aging K-12 public school infrastructure has resulted in major capital project demands that far exceed the current state funding capacity, with districts struggling to pass major capital referenda – when and if their projects are approved for a Certificate of Necessity by the Department of Education. The Department of Education has a very difficult job of prioritizing capital project requests for ultimate Certificate of Necessity authorization. Capital project requests are categorized by the DOE into three groups: Priority 1 projects are intended to resolve student population growth and school crowding; Priority 2 projects are projects intended to resolve or correct life, health and safety conditions; and Priority 3 projects are projects intended to improve program delivery of existing programs or aesthetics. Given the limited capital funding available in the recent past, only priority 1 projects have been authorized for a Certificate of Necessity and further funding consideration. As I did last year, I caution that only approving priority 1 projects for further funding consideration underserves our students and staff, undermines the communities served by the schools and puts building occupants at risk due to identified and documented, yet unresolved life health safety deficiencies.
We, collectively, must find a way to address the growing education facility deficiencies in our school districts. On behalf of the members of The Delaware School Boards Association, we urge the Bond Bill Committee to maintain and increase public school education infrastructure funding so we are able to address the significant back-log of deferred maintenance and resolve known life, health and safety building deficiencies.
Respectfully,
John W. Marinucci, Ed.D
Executive Director, DSBA
