[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6024468,"mediaKeyId","5760307-a8f9bf072f55b8ad0a3ee3d13b50c146","parentId",5760307,"title","Board approves submitting Certificates of Necessity for full renovations and major projects at Mount Pleasant and Concord","audioSeconds",925,"startMs",1815000,"endMs",2740000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5760307-a8f9bf072f55b8ad0a3ee3d13b50c146&start=1815&end=2740","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5760307-a8f9bf072f55b8ad0a3ee3d13b50c146/thumbnail_1815000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6024468/Delaware/Board-approves-submitting-Certificates-of-Necessity-for-full-renovations-and-major-projects-at-Mount-Pleasant-and-Concord","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6024468-b8f16bdeba439905c5ba46c7aa341b60/orig.mp4?Expires=1775169924&Signature=CPeYY0-aj0wzDvVfiE81iawFGUJOTS0mV7mYiHnKwiBLzy14Mq0Y88c-~jCB~nsvkP9qt10hxxHtYU0VoB7GfwSF-~MnKKh47TBFml1sibBL0qG2WyqSqj~k~RS9hdfN6r39NKY32lF1YArTo~ftP8QfqpYOchWd2aLacZ6DFyxFT4LgdNWVXpaapp--rd7k0YP4o9Rw-URaoVIxSEqyliNeJpU0GUAK33eHYg0ytmjyTAkCO0Buc4s5hL2AoEgrj9onT3P9Rou2hnLRbgrjTgouvJJjCu6ah3qDW7RhFZ3rzyUhY9kpllGJ4yxcm7Lc9LzNwbEJHDudG5y9QUbC8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Brandywine School District","date","2025-08-19T20:14:15Z","article","The Brandywine School District Board voted Aug. 18 to submit Certificates of Necessity (CNs) to the Delaware Department of Education requesting state consideration for a slate of major capital projects, including full renovations at Mount Pleasant Elementary and Mount Pleasant High School, inclusive playgrounds at most elementary schools, a dedicated site program facility, athletic‑field upgrades across the district and an initial request to get in line for a future Concord High School project.

Mister Reed, who presented the capital needs assessment and the CN packet to the board, said the Department of Education asked districts to provide CNs as a state inventory of needs even though the state has warned districts it may not have funds to support projects this year. \"They told us the Certificates of Necessity are a way for them to determine what the needs are throughout the state,\" Reed said.

Key project estimates shown to the board: Mount Pleasant Elementary full renovation, $76 million; Mount Pleasant High School renovation, $92 million; inclusive playgrounds across eight elementary sites, roughly $5 million; a new site‑program facility (19–22 program for transition to employment), $11.7 million; major athletic field work, about $41.8 million. Early planning figures put a future Concord High School rebuild in the rough range of $135 million if the district seeks a new school rather than another renovation cycle.

Reed explained practical problems driving the requests: Mount Pleasant Elementary’s roof is original slate from the 1930s, classrooms and kindergarten wings are far below current DOE size recommendations, and the building includes many later additions that complicate modernization. \"The roof on the building is now 93 years old,\" Reed said, noting multiple additions and accessibility issues at the site. He described Mount Pleasant High as having lower‑level spaces that are effectively inaccessible for students with wheelchairs and an interior layout that isolates instructional spaces; the district would prefer renovation because the existing building’s square footage and structural value make renovation less costly than building anew.

The board asked several implementation questions; Reed confirmed the CN process is the first step. The department has until October to review district submissions, and if projects move forward they would return to the board for scope, financing options and eventual voter approval. Board members also asked about relative urgency for specific items and whether any roofs in the state are older than Mount Pleasant’s; Reed said he was not aware of an older slate roof and recounted a drone inspection that identified areas needing targeted repairs.

Why this matters: Certificates of Necessity document district capital needs and determine eligibility for state funding participation in major cap projects. Reed and other staff stressed the CN submission does not obligate voters or the district to immediate borrowing or construction; rather, it places projects on the state’s timeline for future review and possible funding.

Board action: The board voted to submit the CN packet to the Delaware Department of Education. The motion carried by voice vote.

Next steps: District staff said they will continue to refine cost estimates, pursue available grants for items such as playgrounds where grant funding may reduce local need, and return to the board for further scoping and voter approvals if projects advance.

Background: Reed showed examples of program needs — a dedicated site program building for 19–22 year‑old transition students to provide a visible retail‑facing training space, modernized music and performance rooms at Mount Pleasant High, replacement of aging track surfaces and adding ADA‑compliant access to athletic facilities districtwide. The CN packet included the required local‑state cost splits (local share ~40%, state share ~60% for the estimates Reed presented).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BSD Board of Education Meeting - August 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Brandywine School District Board authorized submission of Certificates of Necessity Aug. 18 to the Delaware Department of Education for major capital projects, including full renovations at Mount Pleasant Elementary and Mount Pleasant High School and planning steps toward a future Concord High School project.","taxTitle","Brandywine School District, School Districts, Delaware","taxId",14344,"location","Delaware","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6024474,"Brandywine board removes 1.7% add‑on, votes to split tax rate to ease residential burden after reassessment",2055,4425000,6480000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5760307-a8f9bf072f55b8ad0a3ee3d13b50c146&start=4425&end=6480","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5760307-a8f9bf072f55b8ad0a3ee3d13b50c146/thumbnail_4425000.jpg","/articles/6024474/Delaware/Brandywine-board-removes-17-addon-votes-to-split-tax-rate-to-ease-residential-burden-after-reassessment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6024474-01ec809d80f70f0e300729d267d85a66/orig.mp4?Expires=1775169924&Signature=UGPS4W5aghA6zJInILGeAd4Lxo6dIbus7MeR6BMUXREZN8hO7wK5hjIxudeILj0DgFnoLpleQhA2c-TROEV7n~mkHch10Dhe5LP9LQn0xiyEpN7n3aErD1LHBqmseB8psbQg9dON9OnQVOrlbhzpAzZQWT~sEYF1gW26XjaLz~JKShP0h5Xlf0s8xIIVHoSdfv3d2Iyy8VJEWtD3UnFnQOQByTRpFohBcGkOGXalAuT2Bu3j602PcgaRajjuliUW5luuS8mPWewmPDI~yi94~Lt4h-DYPzE4IE56im-tIj2tifZOHAcEWvmjKdQ65E5nrHJnaungnzSpIxigrGFWhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Brandywine School District Board of Education voted Aug. 18 to remove a 1.7% allowance that had been added to the district’s 2025–26 tax rate and to split the district tax rate between residential and nonresidential parcels at a 1.85 ratio.

Board members said the combined action is intended to restore, as closely as possible, the distribution of tax burden that existed before New Castle County’s recent property reassessment and to provide relief to most residential taxpayers who saw sharp increases in assessed values.

The change follows a special session of the Delaware General Assembly that authorized New Castle County school districts to reset 2025–26 tax rates and to split rates between residential and nonresidential property classes (House Bill 242), and other bills that set installment payment options and refund rules for taxpayers. \"The difference between the two numbers, the $6.987 million, is the referendum,\" Mister McCoy, who presented the financial materials to the board, said when explaining how referendum revenue ties to the new rates.

Why this matters: New Castle County’s reassessment realigned assessed values across neighborhoods. The district’s finance presentation showed residential parcels’ share of the school district tax burden rose from about 67% before reassessment to roughly 79% afterwards. The board’s chosen split — residential rate 0.5609, nonresidential 1.0382 — was calculated to be revenue neutral for the district while restoring prior burden proportions and preserving referendum revenue. The district estimates the split will produce an average residential reduction of about 15.8% in Brandywine’s portion of the tax bill; nonresidential parcels will see increases, concentrated among higher‑value commercial and apartment properties.

What the board approved: Board members first voted to rescind the 1.7% increase the district had included in its originally adopted tax warrant (the 1.7% was intended as an allowance tied to federal funding assumptions). The board then approved a motion to adopt split rates at a 1.85 ratio between nonresidential and residential properties. Both motions carried following voice votes.

Public reaction: Several residents who spoke during public comment urged the board to consider hardship for elderly and fixed‑income taxpayers. \"Many of the elderly residents pay their taxes in one lump sum… some of them are looking at increases of $1,600 to $2,000, and they just don't have the money for it,\" said Maria Blasucki, who identified herself as retired from the district and said she was speaking on behalf of neighbors. John Pope, a resident who spoke later, said he felt the scale of increases was \"shock and dismay\" for many homeowners and asked the board what cost reductions had been pursued before approving the referendum and reassessment changes. Ying Zhang, an online commenter, said the bills that arrived were much larger than she expected and asked whether the district would reimburse taxpayers; McCoy and board members responded that reimbursements were not in the board’s authority and pointed to the county reassessment and new state laws as the drivers.

How the split was calculated: According to the presentation, the district first calculated the revenue-neutral tax rates that would recreate the pre‑reassessment tax burden for each property class, then added the portion of referendum revenue attributed to each class to reach the final rates. The recommended split (1.85) was within the statutory cap that nonresidential cannot exceed two times the residential rate. The district also showed alternate split scenarios, including a 1.5 cap adopted by New Castle County, and outlined how different splits would change the percentage relief to residential taxpayers and the increases to nonresidential taxpayers.

Next steps and limits: New Castle County will issue adjusted bills and reconcile payments already made. House Bill 241 provides an installment plan option for residential taxpayers who experienced increases greater than $300; House Bill 240 requires county processes for refunds on overpayments. Board members and staff cautioned that splitting rates relieves many residential taxpayers but does not erase all increases caused by the reassessment and that some businesses and high‑value nonresidential properties will see substantial increases. The board’s action sets the district’s tax warrant submission to the county under the new state rules.

What the board did not do: The district did not, and cannot in this action, alter county reappraisals or directly refund taxpayers; the board limited its vote to removing the 1.7% allowance and setting the split tax rate. Several board members noted the decision shifts burden among property classes and that no option would avoid producing winners and losers.

The board said it will post details and examples on the district web pages and encouraged residents with questions to consult the New Castle County parcel search and the district’s tax‑warrant documentation for parcel‑specific impacts.","The Brandywine School District Board of Education voted Aug. 18 to remove a 1.7% allowance from the district’s 2025–26 tax rate and to split the district tax rate between residential and nonresidential parcels at a 1.85 ratio, measures the board said will return the district’s tax burden closer to pre‑reassessment levels and provide relief to most residential taxpayers.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6024459,"Superintendent Lawson says Brandywine Smarter Balanced scores show multi‑year improvement but remain below pre‑pandemic levels",581,64000,645000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5760307-a8f9bf072f55b8ad0a3ee3d13b50c146&start=64&end=645","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5760307-a8f9bf072f55b8ad0a3ee3d13b50c146/thumbnail_64000.jpg","/articles/6024459/Delaware/Superintendent-Lawson-says-Brandywine-Smarter-Balanced-scores-show-multiyear-improvement-but-remain-below-prepandemic-levels","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6024459-c8167dd1bab27053918bd17cf66cfa41/orig.mp4?Expires=1775169924&Signature=abeOim4Xd0Na9t8iLSw5bIzza6pps6H74mzQ8Olql2PAYzLvpVxWVUCdpyCUBdOjQ4XpzHNAqMWKT1O8gVgozr0yomHJ9gKjNnJ2cbDCoJeMMlOkL9Z3WSs5e47aZCpbfDKaF5JoPguC~1CIAcXcC-Qn6DpooZCjRmy5Ofe5t2uzTmrA8rLmyZ1Jgg75v~mmHcQu5zgL3FBbru~RucV36IX0Rq2ko9utktjCu2TX7FIiCBUH7mrfOn3lmxlJPWq8kavMBvJ1eoOaszU-Al2dTSNqvfzQFh-5PZMS8w~l0N15dM06kH0g~5xWvVVYGRHIW4au8jMjV8cfEd~qSpFS0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Lawson presented the district’s newly released Smarter Balanced Assessment results at the Aug. 18 meeting, highlighting modest gains in both English language arts (ELA) and mathematics while cautioning that the assessment is a single‑day snapshot and does not capture the full range of students’ skills or growth.

She summarized the results for grades 3–8: 45% of Brandywine students met or exceeded grade‑level ELA standards (achievement levels 3 or 4) and 37% met or exceeded math standards. An additional 22% of students scored at Level 2 in ELA and 25% in math — results Lawson said represent students \"nearly meeting\" standards and often reflect missing one or a small number of items to reach proficiency. \"Smarter scores do not define our children, their full potential,\" Lawson said, adding the district will use multiple measures to track student outcomes.

Lawson also presented state comparisons: Brandywine’s ELA proficiency rose to put the district fourth in Delaware and math rose to fifth in the state for the most recent school year. She said district ELA and math proficiency trends have been improving over the last three years but have not yet returned to pre‑pandemic levels.

The superintendent recognized new teachers and facilities staff for summer preparation work and invited families to share first‑day photos on the district website. She said the district will continue to present a fuller suite of outcome data to the board across the year rather than relying on any single metric.

No formal action was required on the superintendent’s report.

Context: Lawson framed Smarter Balanced as a summative evaluation with single cut scores for proficiency levels and urged readers to consider achievement levels as a continuum when understanding student learning and progress.","Superintendent Lawson reviewed recently released Smarter Balanced results, saying district ELA and math proficiency rates rose and Brandywine now ranks fourth in ELA and fifth in math among Delaware districts, while emphasizing the test is a single point‑in‑time measure and not the sole indicator of student learning.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6024463,"Board approves multi‑vendor list for special‑education service providers to address staffing shortages",258,2897000,3155000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5760307-a8f9bf072f55b8ad0a3ee3d13b50c146&start=2897&end=3155","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5760307-a8f9bf072f55b8ad0a3ee3d13b50c146/thumbnail_2897000.jpg","/articles/6024463/Delaware/Board-approves-multivendor-list-for-specialeducation-service-providers-to-address-staffing-shortages","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6024463-1284ff54fc2c4e48d52b6f1825cbfcd8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775169924&Signature=gWaOspRe8ow4q2Cz-2l48GxLf5wmT9w1PMC-d6IwEu3VG6nGe3ApUj6G5smaUdv8ISmPhRRsl9l2mzrD2QrEQ2lXuyLPcxDqLcF9kYPwKfspGUC0ctmQ9yDfDHgmf~AEJerffD9etE~t5jKHxDOAbK3aTQqNiLXBQGmgfrlvFBXTmn-LlyvG3b45CEx99qk6QdhpB2368JjFjrRwZM-COeLXKjLN-~7p0fvndYqXaH1-aJRokIeKvyBTqwF6QcKYZTwYnm91c7H2WAEL2tg24d~97vAZC2hvOIhkYMEOo4PnIEQvQVjnGa4E62rTYhRbEbI-WzZYgO568lvKMXD97w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Brandywine School District Board on Aug. 18 approved a multi‑vendor award adding 29 vendors as eligible special‑education service providers for the 2025–26 school year.

Doctor Hess presented the recommendation, saying the district faces persistent shortages of certified special‑education teachers, related‑service providers and behavioral/mental‑health professionals. \"The evaluation committee recommends awarding contracts to 29 vendors to provide comprehensive coverage across all of our service program categories,\" Hess said, noting the committee scored proposals on experience, staffing plans, service models and price and followed published criteria.

The award is a multi‑vendor approach intended to increase flexibility and reduce risk from single‑source shortages. Contracts approved by the board will be effective Aug. 25, 2025 through July 31, 2026, with options to renew for two additional one‑year periods. The district said the vendors will be used when district recruitment efforts do not fill vacancies, to provide related services required by Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans, and to staff self‑contained and specialized programs when needed.

The presenter referenced Delaware Code, Title 29 § 69‑26, as the procurement authority and said the recommendation aligns with past district practice. Board members asked whether the vendors were new and how assignments are managed; Hess said 16 vendors are returning providers and that building leadership teams work with district staff to evaluate candidates and determine assignments.

Board action: The board approved the list of 29 vendors by voice vote.

What the board did not do: The vote did not authorize specific purchase orders or dollar amounts; it authorized an approved provider list from which staff can engage services as needed and in accordance with applicable procurements and special‑education funding rules. The district said it will engage vendors to maintain compliance with federal and state special‑education mandates and to ensure continuity of required services across 16 schools and specialized programs.

Next steps: Contracts will be executed with the approved vendors and used on an as‑needed basis; the district will report staffing impacts and cost outcomes to relevant committees.","The board approved a multi‑vendor award adding 29 vendors to the district’s eligible provider list for special‑education services, enabling the district to engage providers for teachers, therapists and related services when district recruitment falls short.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves submitting Certificates of Necessity for full renovations and major projects at Mount Pleasant and Concord

Brandywine board removes 1.7% add‑on, votes to split tax rate to ease residential burden after reassessment

Superintendent Lawson says Brandywine Smarter Balanced scores show multi‑year improvement but remain below pre‑pandemic levels

Board approves multi‑vendor list for special‑education service providers to address staffing shortages