Delaware

Delaware unlikely to overhaul school funding formula this year

Published

2 years ago

February 15, 2024

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Delaware unlikely to overhaul school funding formula this year

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This investigative report was supported by a statehouse coverage grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Many education advocates cheered the release of recommendations from a blockbuster report last year showing Delaware was underfunding high-needs students by $500 million to $1 billion.

But it is unlikely that lawmakers will dramatically overhaul state school funding this legislative session.

“I do not think in this budget year we’re going to see the kinds of investments that the report is talking about, but I do think this is a good year to start talking about it,” said Democratic state Sen. Laura Sturgeon, who chairs the Senate Education Committee. “When you’re talking about a sea change in possibly how we fund education and in how much we invest in education, that is going to take time.”

The independent report, a direct result of a settlement from a lawsuit brought by civil rights groups that alleged the state was underfunding disadvantaged public school students, was presented to the public in December. Sturgeon said the General Assembly’s next step in changing how the state funds school districts will be to hold a hearing on the report next month.

That’s not good enough for Dwayne Bensing, legal director of the ACLU of Delaware, who helped litigate the case.

He wants the legislature to add substantially more money to the state’s education budget than Gov. John Carney has proposed. The governor has recommended $10 million more in Opportunity Funding for fiscal year 2025 to go to disadvantaged students, which includes those who are low-income, have a disability or speak English as a second language. Those weighted dollars were codified into law as part of the lawsuit settlement. Carney is also pushing to increase starting teacher salaries to $60,000 and to add more than $56 million to cover an increase in the state’s student population.

Bensing said Carney’s recommended spending doesn’t provide the investment in education that the report calls for.

“It would be increasing the education funding appropriation, which the governor’s proposed budget does not do,” he said. “I think since the report, they have increased by tens of millions of dollars, but the report’s saying that what we really need is an appropriation that’s much greater than what has been proposed in past administrations and what needs to be the operating budget for our school districts moving forward.”

During the report presentation in December, Delaware Education Secretary Mark Holodick said lawmakers should think about equity in developing legislation, especially when looking at how neighboring states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, dole out money to school districts.

“We say in Delaware, ZIP codes can tell you what outcomes are going to be,” he said. “Well, the same exact thing exists in Pennsylvania.”

Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey have student-based funding formulas that provide more money for low-income students and English language learners, while Delaware has a unit-based formula. Instead of a set amount per pupil in Delaware, there’s a yearly count of students where the number of children in each building are converted into units.

Like Delaware, Pennsylvania’s funding formula was challenged by a lawsuit in 2014. In 2023, a Commonwealth court ruled that Pennsylvania’s school funding formula was unconstitutionally underfunding poorer school districts.

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Delaware

Large Fire in Millsboro Destroys Mobile Home, Vehicles – 47abc

Published

10 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Press Room

Large Fire in Millsboro Destroys Mobile Home, Vehicles – 47abc

MILLSBORO, Del. – Firefighters responded to a large structure fire at a trailer home on Friday morning.

At 10:10 a.m. on Nov. 28, crews from the Millsboro, Indian River, and Dagsboro volunteer fire companies responded to a trailer on Oak Street in the Mount Joy area. Units from the Sussex County Paramedics and the Delaware State Police also responded to the scene.

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Crews worked to provide water supply, assist with fire suppression, notify respective utility service providers, and continue with mitigation efforts.

The Indian River Volunteer Fire Company reported that the trailer, other surrounding structures, as well as a number vehicles, including a motorcycle, four-wheeler type ATVs, and a golf cart, caught fire as part of this incident.

The Delaware State Fire Marshal is investigating.

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Tags: dagsboro volunteer fire company, delaware, delaware fire marshal, delaware state police, fire, fire investigation, fire suppression, indian river volunteer fire company, millsboro, millsboro volunteer fire company, structure fire, sussex county paramedics

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Delaware

Delaware Lottery Play 3 Day, Play 3 Night winning numbers for Nov. 30, 2025

Published

22 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Press Room

Delaware Lottery Play 3 Day, Play 3 Night winning numbers for Nov. 30, 2025

The Delaware Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Play 3 numbers from Nov. 30 drawing

Day: 2-6-1

Night: 2-7-2

Check Play 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 4 numbers from Nov. 30 drawing

Day: 4-9-0-1

Night: 1-8-1-8

Check Play 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Multi-Win Lotto numbers from Nov. 30 drawing

01-11-16-17-31-34

Check Multi-Win Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Nov. 30 drawing

03-08-13-17-18, Lucky Ball: 17

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 5 numbers from Nov. 30 drawing

Day: 4-6-9-8-7

Night: 9-3-0-4-7

Check Play 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Sign the Ticket: Establish legal ownership by signing the back of your ticket with an ink pen.
Prizes up to $599: Claim at any Delaware Lottery Retailer, in person at the Delaware Lottery Office, or mail your signed ticket and claim form; print your name/address on the ticket’s back and keep a copy/photo for records. By mail, send original tickets and documentation to: Delaware Lottery, 1575 McKee Road, Suite 102, Dover, DE 19904.
Prizes up to $2,500: Claim in person at Delaware Lottery Retailer Claim Centers throughout Kent, Sussex and New Castle Counties.
Prizes of $5,001 or more: Claim in person at the Delaware Lottery Office (business days 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) with a photo ID and Social Security card.
For all prize claims, directions to the Delaware Lottery Office are available online or via mapquest.com for a map.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Delaware Lottery.

Can I claim a jackpot prize anonymously in Delaware?

Fortunately for First State residents, the Delaware Lottery allows winners remain anonymous. Unlike many other states that require a prize be over a certain jackpot, Delawareans can remain anonymous no matter how much, or how little, they win.

How long do I have to claim my prize in Delaware?

Tickets are valid for up to one year past the drawing date for drawing game prizes or within one year of the announced end of sales for Instant Games, according to delottery.com.

When are the Delaware Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
Play 3, 4: Daily at 1:58 p.m. and 7:57 p.m., except Sunday afternoon.
Multi-Win Lotto: 7:57 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Lucky for Life: Daily at 10:38 p.m.
Lotto America: 11:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Delaware Online digital operations manager. You can send feedback using this form.

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Delaware

How can I prevent a utility shutoff during the winter months?

Published

2 days ago

November 30, 2025

Press Room

How can I prevent a utility shutoff during the winter months?

This story is part of the WHYY News Climate Desk, bringing you news and solutions for our changing region.

From the Poconos to the Jersey Shore to the mouth of the Delaware Bay, what do you want to know about climate change? What would you like us to cover? Get in touch.

Increasingly, people across the U.S. are struggling to pay their utility bills as the price of electricity soars because of supply costs and an increased demand from sources like data centers.

Gas bills are also on the rise, with Philadelphia Gas Works customers facing a $6 increase on average to their monthly bills, starting Dec. 1.

The effects are evident in states like Pennsylvania, where utility shutoffs have increased by 21% this year, leaving ratepayers in the dark.

The termination of a person’s utilities can have dire consequences, especially for kids, older ratepayers and people living with chronic health conditions.

“A shutoff in a very cold month can not only lead to health consequences for the household living in very, very cold conditions, it can also lead to structural damage to the home because the loss of utilities during those times can cause pipes to burst and all sorts of other things,” said Sarah Spangler Rhine, deputy director at Community Legal Aid Society in Delaware.

As temperatures drop in the Philadelphia region, however, some ratepayers will be protected from shutoffs.

Here’s what you need to know about winter shutoff moratorium programs in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. During this period, ratepayers will be able to keep their heat and lights on even when they’re behind on their bills.

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