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State board divided over redistricting timeline, public forums and role of Redding consortium
Summary
Board members spent a lengthy portion of the Dec. 11 meeting debating the Redding consortium’s redistricting work, the 90-day review window, and whether the board should co-host public forums; several members urged asking for more time to analyze community feedback.
A heated debate over redistricting consumed a major portion of the Delaware State Board of Education’s Dec. 11 meeting as members weighed how closely the board should align with a consultant consortium’s work, whether to co-sponsor public forums, and whether to request more time to review proposed plans.
Board member Griffin framed the issue as an urgent equity question and criticized public comments he heard at recent community meetings that he said amounted to ‘‘not in my backyard’’ opposition to relocating students. Griffin urged the board to press forward and, if necessary, request additional time for deliberation. “When education is not working… it hurts us all,” Griffin said, arguing that delays will leave students waiting for decisions that affect their schooling.
Several other members expressed concern about the speed of the statutory timetable. One board member pointed members to Title 14, section 10-26 of state code and noted the board’s latitude to change district boundaries in a manner consistent with some or all of the consortium’s recommendations; that member recommended colleagues review the statute before making final judgments. Other members suggested tightly managed public forums or a single board-hosted meeting so the board appears to be doing its own review rather than simply rubber-stamping an external product.
Why it matters: the board’s decision-making calendar and the public engagement design will shape how any redistricting plan is received locally and how quickly changes could move to the General Assembly for final approval. Board members discussed the 90-day review window the board has after receiving the consortium’s plan and whether to ask for a short extension to ensure adequate community input and time for analysis.
What’s next: board members said they will wait for Redding to deliver its work product and then consider scheduling focused workshops and public forums in open session; some members said they plan to request additional time to digest materials before formal votes.
The meeting record shows sustained, crosscutting remarks from multiple board members; the board did not take a formal vote on redistricting at Tuesday’s meeting.
