Sussex Tech clearly has a serious problem

While the school, drawing from all over Sussex County, continues to do a good job educating its students, it no longer has the support of the legislators on whom it ultimately depends for its funding.

Many sense that the school has lost its way: What started out as a vocational-school extension of the other districts in Sussex has moved toward total independence with much more of its focus on academic rather than vocational performance.

Not only has the school moved away from its previous relationship with the other districts, it has further alienated itself by drawing higher-performing students from districts that, not only lose state funding associated with those students, but also their positive contributions to the school populations.

Now, hanging out all by itself, Sussex Tech finds itself in an unsustainable situation further emphasized by what it has done this year. The school, which, uniquely, gets additional funding by going to the Legislature rather than to the residents via referendum, failed in the past legislative session to get funds necessary to sustain previous operating levels. The school had no choice but to cut several positions, some of them classroom teachers.

Rather than adjusting student body size downward to match the diminished teaching corps, the school instead increased its enrollment. The only apparent reason is that a higher student count means more state funds, and that is the last resort for gaining additional operating funds.

The temporary nature of that strategy is clearly illustrated by the school’s pronouncement that, without additional financial support via the Legislature in the upcoming session, it will have to cut up to 48 more positions going into the 2015-16 school year.

The school has already depleted its reserves. Sussex Tech must holler out for a lifeline. It needs to renew its relationship with surrounding districts to find common ground and to help preserve the best of what it has accomplished.

For the same reasons, Gov. Markell should appoint a task force to review this situation and make recommendations that will help Sussex Tech find its way again and restore its sustainability.