House Concurrent Resolution 98 Summary

• Requests the Governor of Delaware provide recommendations on education reform addressing funding, academic performance, standardized testing, and school safety by June 30, 2025 to the 153rd General Assembly

• Criticizes Delaware's resource-based funding system established in 1940, noting only 8 percent of state education funding is flexible and only 6 other states use this model compared to 40+ states using student-based funding formulas

• Highlights low academic proficiency rates with only 41 percent of grades 3-8 students proficient in English language arts and 31 percent proficient in math in 2022-2023

• References Mississippi's Literacy-Based Promotion Act as a potential policy model, noting it achieved 85 percent reading proficiency among third graders through targeted literacy coaching

• Calls for standardized testing reform similar to Pennsylvania's 20 percent reduction in test length and reassessment of graduation requirements to better prepare students for post-secondary success