Instead of bothering to comment on the important educational issues in Delaware, John Marino, in his recent letter to the Cape Gazette in its May 12 edition, took the Caesar Rodney Institute to task for having the temerity to publish the findings of expert sources regarding the failure of our schools. His letter fails to acknowledge several viable facts that address Delaware’s collapsing school system.
• According to the Delaware Department of Education, 25 public schools in the state have fewer than 1 in 10 students who are proficient in math or reading in 2022 (source: https://data.delaware.gov).
• The DOE indicates the state spending on education is among the highest in the nation at over $17,000 (ninth in the U.S.) per pupil in 2022, an increase of more than 30% since 2002 (source: https://reason.org/commentary/k-12-education-spending-spotlight).
• According to Delaware’s Secretary of Education Mark Holodick, between 2019 and 2022 (pre- and post- COVID-19), Delaware had one of the largest drops in scores in the country on the Nation's Report Card in both math and reading (source: https://education.delaware.gov/2023/04/06/test).
• According to the Nation’s Report Card, a test given every other year by the U.S. Department of Education, Delaware’s decline in test scores began in 2013, well before COVID-19 closures. The state's prolonged shutdown of schools accelerated this decline.
Clearly, Marino emphasizes less-demanding emotional and social learning over critical thinking, skill development and discipline. Statistics from the Delaware Department of Education show evidence the state is failing in these critical areas beyond all doubt.
With regard to debunking more of Marino’s diatribe against CRI: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CRI is required to report its income each year. CRI receives donations from donors who agree with policy recommendations. About 1% of CRI’s contributions are from the oil industry. As I understand it, these donations do not influence CRI's fact-based, well-researched policy conclusions.
The final example of Marino’s deliberate misinformation is his wholly inaccurate depiction of CRI’s energy expert, David Stevenson, who is nationally recognized for his research on offshore wind turbines and other climate issues. For instance, Stevenson’s research points out that offshore wind would damage the environment and the economy, causing electricity bills to rise. Additionally, he has assisted and supported the 2021 Delaware legislation to reform the community solar law that may lead to tripling solar in Delaware over the next year (source: https://www.caesarrodney.org/energy-updates2/Cancel-Culture-Effort-Misfires.htm).
It is obvious Marino did not conduct thorough research. This is unfortunate as the quality of life in Delaware is on a steep decline, and fact-based solutions are required if we are going to be a state that our current and future generations will want to call home. For an unbiased assessment of Delaware's declining quality of life, you may want to go to www.caesarrodney.org/reportcard. I always find their research to be educational and informative.
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