El Somnambulo is not paranoid (although he can’t explain this insidious humming in his ears), so he will not accuse the News-Journal of going all ‘Delaware Way’ over its failure to chronicle a substance-filled week, courtesy of Gov. Markell.
He will merely ascribe said failure to the by-now familiar twin causes of slothfulness and journalistic ineptitude.
Still, in case you weren’t paying attention, allow ‘Bulo to bring you up to speed on what the Guv did this week:
1. Markell unveiled his education plan with these components:
Replaces the DSTP with a better system for measuring performance.
This agenda requires that a replacement for the DSTP be in place by the 2010-2011 school year. It would offer as a replacement an assessment that actually measures the progress of each child during each school year. The requirements for the new test would correspond to the specifications that the state assessment task force has developed for the new test.Rewards great teachers and those who volunteer to serve in at-risk districts.
The state already provides salary enhancements for teachers who seek professional development opportunities and achieve advanced degrees. The agenda would build the framework so that when the budget situation improves, the state can add financial rewards for high-performing teachers who teach in ‘high-risk’ schools (schools under NCLB review and high-poverty schools), and offer salary supplements for teachers whose students show objective improvement based upon our new state assessment over the course of a school year. We will seek to establish the formula for this new salary structure this year and put it into action when funds become available.Cuts cumbersome regulations to give districts the chance to innovate and allow them more decision-making discretion.
This enhances local decision-making in two ways. First, it eliminates state mandates with respect to many subjects outside of traditional ones such as math, reading, writing, and social studies. Districts and schools could still include these other subjects in their curriculum, but they would have greater flexibility in how they were offered so resources could be reprogrammed to meet needs like math and reading. Second, it provides a mechanism by which individual schools and individual districts can promptly seek relief from regulations, procedures, or policies that impede their ability to meet the needs of their students.Allows Districts and Schools More Funding Discretion.
The agenda moves decisions about what is best for students out to the people closest to the students – individual schools and districts – by giving greater flexibility on how state dollars are spent in schools. This flexibility is balanced by three new provisions of law to ensure great accountability. First, the state Department of Education must approve district budgets, and is assigned to do so with an eye to two criteria: compliance with state and federal law, and appropriate use of funds for instruction-related purposes. Second, it requires a heightened level of financial transparency by districts. And third, it requires each district to set up a standing civilian financial review committee.
This plan was enthusiastically endorsed by Sen. Dave Sokola and Rep. Terry Schooley, two of the far-too-few true progressives in the Delaware General Assembly.
2. Markell directed that DNREC participate in ongoing negotiations between Delmarva Power and the Public Service Commission to ensure that health and environmental concerns be fully considered as part of Delmarva’s long-range energy inventory plan. The directive also instructs DNREC to use the Division of Public Health as a resource in this initiative. Delaware Liberal Patron Saint John Kowalko bestowed his blessing on this commonsense proposal.
3. Announced an initiative to assist first-time low and middle income homebuyers in purchasing that first home. This was detailed in depth yesterday on this site. And, yes, ‘Bulo added jokes for those with ADD.
4. Finally, in a public address today, Gov. Markell actually discussed his vision for state government and how he proposes to achieve it:
“What is Delaware’s purpose? I believe it’s to ensure the health and safety of our families. To foster the growth of our economy and protect the quality of our air and water. To give every child every opportunity to succeed. To keep our commitment to our senior citizens and protect the rights of our citizens.
Our purpose is not to keep programs alive simply because people have grown fond of them or because inaction is far easier than change.
We need to approach our state government asking – what is our most important purpose, not what are our most important programs?
For the last several months, we have been looking across every agency to find new ways to tackle old problems. To examine what works and why. To determine whether we are meeting our obligations and how.
Asking each Cabinet Secretary – what purpose, not what program, do you serve?”
All this plus the Jack Markell Unplugged Tour, six stops in all, where he took questions about the budget and everything else. No pre-screening, no canned answers.
This is the tough stuff, folks. These are tough times. For the first time since the days of Russell Peterson, Delaware has a governor with a genuinely progressive vision. ‘Bulo thinks that we owe it to him to help him realize that vision.
The Delaware Way’s response is (if Cassandra won’t edit it, ‘Bulo will try to get a cheap laugh out of it):