Numbers show gaps in test scores, money spent on students

The amount of money spent on Delaware students in 2022 varied widely from school to school and can’t be correlated with results on standard tests.

The average per student expenditure for the top 10 performers on the Smarter Balanced Assessment – taken by students in third through eighth grade – is $17,894.

It’s $11,489 for the schools that did best on the SAT, which is taken by all of Delaware’s juniors.

The highest allocation for a top-performing school is Dover Air Force Base Middle School, at  $38,314 per student – a clear outlier. If you throw out that school, then the average of the others is $15,482.

The lowest allocation is for MOT Charter School, at  $12,177 per student.

Repeated attempts were unsuccessful to ask Caesar Rodney School District about the large expenditure per student at the air base middle school, which has no low-income students according to state records.

The average per student expenditure for the bottom performing schools on the Smarter Balanced Assessment is $24,500, and $20,052 for the bottom performing SAT schools.

The highest allocation for a bottom-performing school is for Richardson Park Elementary School, at $31,818 per student. The lowest allocation is for Laurel Senior High School, at $13,903 per student.

The amount of money spent on students can’t be correlated with scores on the Smart Balanced Assessment or the Scholastic Aptitude Test, educators say.

Dan Shelton, superintendent of Christina School District, the second largest district in the state behind Red Clay Consolidated, questions if there is a connection between the two.

“As far as a correlation between money spent on schools and test scores, I’m not sure that is the correct way to look at it in terms of are we getting enough back on our investment,” he said.  “I’m not certain we have ever seen a correlation between money spent and test scores directly.”

What has been seen, he said, is a correlation between the needs of students and test scores.  

“In other words, students who have experienced more ACES [adverse childhood experiences] tend to not score as well on standardized tests,” he said. “The services we provide to these students would drive up funding needs for those schools, which is why we sometimes call them high-needs schools.”

But critics also wonder: What are students getting for the annual expenditures that seem to rise year after year while proficiency rates and test scores are not? 

Analysis of the cost-per-student in single-digit proficiency schools is important, informative and impactful, said Julia Keleher, executive director of First State Educate, a local education advocacy group. 

“It allows the public to ask important questions about how funds are allocated and spent,” she said. “It also prompts public inquiry into the return on investment, in terms of improved outcomes, for these expenditures.”

Across the state, the average spent on students in 2022 was $18,604 per student.

Additional funds for schools and students come from a variety of federal and state programs based on socioeconomic issues for a school, such as poverty or the need for special education.

For example, schools that have a higher population of low-income students, students with disabilities, or English language learners will get supplemental money to help address those social issues that schools who do not have that demographic makeup might not get.

Throughout the state, 25.21% of students are low income, 17.47% of students have disabilities and 59.52% are of ethnic and racial minorities.

According to Delaware Code, disabilities can include: attention-deficit disorders, autism, developmental delay, deaf-blind, emotional disability, hearing impairment, specific learning disability, intellectual disability, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, speech/language impairment, traumatic brain injury and visual impairment.

One reason the range of expenditures matters is that public education spending was $1.4 billion – 27.6% of Delaware’s $5.1 billion budget for the 2022 school year. 

But with test score proficiency rates in the First State in the bottom half of the nation – especially after the COVID-19 pandemic stresses on schools – many people and groups question the return on the investment.

RELATED: School test scores dismal again despite new math, reading plans 

The state’s $18,604 per student in 2022 is an increase from $16,369 in 2020 and $17,041 in 2021, according to the Delaware State Report Card’s most updated data.

It tracks various categories such as racial makeup, percentage of students with special needs, college readiness rates, proficiency percentages, test score results, teacher retention, spending and more at both the district and school levels.

“With the SATs, I find it to be unfair because not all schools across the country or neighboring states test everybody, but in Delaware, everybody takes the test,” pointed out David Tull, executive director of the Delaware School Boards Association.

That drives state scores down, especially for schools where a lower percentage of the population is heading to college.

Delaware is one of eight states that gives the SATs to all 11th graders, so even the students who are pursuing a trade with no plans of traditional college have to take it, which skews the scores negatively.

Opportunity funding

Some of the funding is designed for special needs students.

But a big chunk of it is referred to as opportunity funding. 

That’s the name for money that Gov. John Carney signed into law in 2021 to increase funding for low-income students and multi-language learners. It made that weighted funding permanent in Delaware. 

By fiscal year 2025, opportunity funding will more than double to $60 million a year.

The decision was in large part due to a far-reaching lawsuit over the way schools are funded. It  was settled in early 2021. 

It was sparked over concerns that the state’s 80-year-old school funding formula did not adequately support poor and special needs programs. 

Opportunity funding is used to aid both academic and social wellbeing. Examples include mental health support, reading assistance, after school programs and more.

The money can also be used to hire personnel to fill those needs, such as reading specialists, behavioral health specialists or social workers. 

Lower scores

Here’s a look at the funding trends and demographics for the bottom-performing schools in Delaware, which all had proficiency rates in the single-digits on the Smarter Balanced Assessment and SAT, state-administered tests to measure if students are meeting grade-level standards:

Bottom-performing on Smarter Balanced Assessment

The average per-student expenditure in this category is $24,500.

Christina

The Bancroft School 

(69.27% low income, 26.34% students with disabilities, 95.42% minority) I think we need 

2020: $31,150

2021: $32,427

2022: $28,924

The Bayard School

(62.8% low income, 21.06% students with disabilities, 93.31% minority)

2020: $24,145

2021: $26,301

2022: $29,320

 

Charters

Edison (Thomas A.) Charter School

(67.25% low income, 7.28%  students with disabilities, 98.89% minority)

2020: $13,081

2021: $13,477

2022: $14,911

Gateway Charter School

(43.55% low income, 41.4%  students with disabilities, 80.11% minority)

2020: $27,040

2021: $26,166

2022: $28,285

 

Colonial

McCullough (Calvin R.) Middle School

(42.41% low income, 19.86%  students with disabilities, 83.4% minority)

2020: $16,542

2021: $17,658

2022: $19,529

New Castle Elementary School 

(37.84% low income, 12.29%  students with disabilities, 79.36% minority)

2020: $16,041

2021: $17,164

2022: $20,479

 

Red Clay

Johnson (Joseph E. Jr) Elementary School 

(59.15% low income, 11.97%  students with disabilities, 89.44% minority)

2020: $17,947

2021: $19,586

2022: $21,767

Richardson Park Elementary School 

(38.54% low income, 21.58%  students with disabilities, 78.81% minority)

2020: $24,268

2021: $28,590

2022: $31,818

Stanton Middle School 

(34.06% low income, 19.91%  students with disabilities, 82.58% minority)

2020: $16,697

2021: $16,892

2022: $19,066

Warner Elementary School

(61.39% low income, 31.67%  students with disabilities, 95.56% minority)

2020: $26,655

2021: $28,434

2022: $30,903

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Bottom-performing on SAT 

The average per-student expenditure in this category is $20,052.

Christina

Glasgow High School

(31.96% low income, 24.13%  students with disabilities, 81.45% minority)

2020: $20,913

2021: $21,637

2022: $24,063

 

Laurel

Laurel Senior High School

(31.73% low income, 20.08%  students with disabilities, 55.42% minority)

2020: $11,656

2021: $11,889

2022: $13,903

 

New Castle County Vo-Tech

Delcastle Technical High School

(24.86% low income, 11.92%  students with disabilities, 76.03% minority)

2020: $18,701

2021: $18,801

2022: $20,248

Hodgson (Paul M.) Vocational Technical High School

(24.32% low income, 13.48%  students with disabilities, 70.12% minority)

2020: $18,518

2021: $18,122

2022: $19,645 

Howard High School of Technology

(39.71% low income, 12.6%  students with disabilities, 92.35% minority)

2020: $18,984

2021: $18,118

2022: $20,342

 

Red Clay

McKean (Thomas) High School

(35.6% low income, 31.07%  students with disabilities, 74.97% minority)

2020: $19,159

2021: $20,166

2022: $21,665

 

Seaford

Seaford Senior High School

(35.27% low income, 18.66%  students with disabilities., 70.88% minority)

2020: $15,776

2021: $16,708

2022: $20,449

All but two of the 17 bottom-performing schools are given more funding per student than the state average of $18,604.

The Delaware Department of Education defines high-needs as schools whose student enrollment is in the top 25% of public schools in at least three of these four criteria:

• Percent of low-income students
• Percent of English learner students
• Percent of students with disabilities
• Percent of underrepresented minority students, or if the school has more than 90% of their students defined as low-income, English learners or underrepresented minority

This year, there are 32 public schools out of the state’s more than 200 categorized as high-needs schools.

Top performing 

While two of the top 20 performing schools do not have their cost per student listed on the state’s report card, the 18 that do all have less allocated per student than the state average of $18,604. 

“There have been arguments made in the past that we do not spend enough money on our high needs schools,” Shelton said. “I don’t believe it is that the money itself will improve the test scores.”

Instead, he said, it is that the students in high needs schools need more and sometimes different support and services in order for them to better be able to engage in their learning, and those services and supports come with a price tag.  

This analysis highlights the vast differences in how education funds are distributed across schools and school communities, Keheler said. 

“Analyzing fiscal, achievement and student demographic data together enables the public to ask important questions about how education funds are spent and if those investments are leading to better student outcomes,” she said.

Equity in education funding means every student gets what they need to be successful, she said.

“We are investing in the whole child rather than only in the academic success of the child,” Shelton said. “By helping our students cope with other factors in their lives, there will be a positive impact on access and achievement in their education.”

Top 10 Smarter Balanced Assessment 

The average per-student expenditure in this category is $17,894.

Caesar Rodney

Dover Air Force Base Middle School

(N/a low income, 11.2%  students with disabilities, 36% minority)

2020: $20,885

2021: $22,260

2022: $38,314

Major George S. Welch Elementary School 

(2.83% low income, 11.05%  students with disabilities, 34.28% minority)

2020: $14,694

2021: $15,511

2022: $13,881

 

Cape Henlopen

Beacon Middle School

(15.28% low income, 12.81%  students with disabilities, 27.31% minority)

2020: $12,834

2021: $13,916

2022: $15,206

 

Charters

MOT Charter School

(7.52% low income, 7.66%  students with disabilities, 56.47% minority)

2020: $11,626

2021: $11,049

2022: $12,177

Newark Charter 

(7.8% low income, 8.5%  students with disabilities, 46.03% minority) 

2020: $14,043

2021: $13,039

2022: $15,008

Sussex Academy

(6.53% low income, 5.99%  students with disabilities, 28.35% minority)

2020: $11,202

2021: $11,565

2022: $12,568

 

Christina

Christina High School

(21.5% low income, 14.65%  students with disabilities, 69.35% minority)

2020: $20,995

2021: $20,698

2022: $21,392

 

Red Clay

Calloway (Cab) School of the Arts

(8.28% low income, 6.56%  students with disabilities, 51.72% minority)

2020: $13,669

2021: $13,429

2022: $15,705

North Star Elementary School 

(3.77% low income, 8.2%  students with disabilities, 41.15% minority)

2020: $13,965

2021: $14,660

2022: $17,544

William F. Cooke Jr. Elementary School

(11.27% low income, 11.27%  students with disabilities, 35.75% minority)

2020: $14,108

2021: $15,459

2022: $17,148

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Top 10 on SAT

The average per-student expenditure in this category is $11,489.

Appoquinimink

Appoquinimink High School

(7.82% low income, 13.95%  students with disabilities, 50.2% minority)

2020: $13,233

2021: $15,167

2022: $14,455

Middletown High School 

(8.86% low income, 14.98%  students with disabilities, 53.36% minority)

2020: $12,946

2021: $15,244

2022: $14,208

 

Cape Henlopen

Cape Henlopen High School

(15.66% low income, 13.35%  students with disabilities, 34.53% minority  

2020: $15,231

2021: $14,694

2022: $15,838

 

Charters

Charter School of Wilmington

(4.03% low income, 1.14%  students with disabilities, 53.72% minority)

2020: N/A

2021: N/A

2022: N/A

Delaware Military Academy

(7.71% low income, 3.42%  students with disabilities, 96.58% minority)

2020: N/A

2021: N/A

2022: N/A

MOT Charter School

(7.52% low income, 7.66%  students with disabilities, 56.47% minority)

2020: $11,626

2021: $11,049

2022: $12,177

Newark Charter 

(7.8% low income, 8.5%  students with disabilities, 46.03% minority) 

2020: $14,043

2021: $13,039

2022: $15,008

Sussex Academy 

(6.53% low income, 5.99%  students with disabilities, 28.35% minority)

2020: $11,202

2021: $11,565

2022: $12,568

 

Red Clay

Calloway (Cab) School of the Arts

(8.28% low income, 6.56%  students with disabilities, 51.72% minority)

2020: $13,669

2021: $13,429

2022: $15,705

Conrad Schools of Science

(14.2% low income, 4.7%  students with disabilities, 46.88% minority)

2020: $13,192

2021: $13,484

2022: $14,931

The average per student expenditure for the top 10 performers on the Smarter Balanced Assessment is $17,894 and just $11,489 for the schools that did best on the SAT.

The highest allocation for a top-performing school is Dover Air Force Base Middle School, which gets $38,314 per student – a clear outlier — and the lowest allocation is for MOT Charter School, which gets $12,177 per student.

The average per student expenditure for the bottom performing schools on the Smarter Balanced Assessment is $24,500, and $20,052 for the bottom performing SAT schools.

The highest allocation for a bottom-performing school is for Richardson Park Elementary School, which receives $31,818 per student. The lowest allocation is for Laurel Senior High School, which spends $13,903 per student.