Cape school board approves elementary attendance plan

Cape Henlopen school board unanimously approved a redistricting plan June 9 that allows Milton students to walk to their neighborhood school. But the plan does little to even out the number of low-income students attending all district schools.

“We know this wasn't about looking at low-income students,” said board Vice President Alison Myers. “It was about keeping students closer to the neighborhoods where they live.”

About 40 Milton residents attended the meeting to protest Superintendent Robert Fulton's first recommendation for some students who now walk to Milton Elementary to instead be bused to H.O. Brittingham Elementary.

Milton Elementary parent Dianne Pearce created a Facebook page and gathered about 50 signatures of parents who disagreed with Fulton's plan to maintain the number of low-socioeconomic students in Milton in the 41-44 percent range while Rehoboth and Love Creek elementaries have low-income populations ranging from 31 to 32 percent and about 27 percent low-socioeconomic students at Shields Elementary.

“I didn't know he was supposed to even out the poverty in our little pocket only,” Pearce said.

Pearce's main contention is that Milton schools have low test scores. The number of Milton students who scored in the proficient range on state tests is 40 percent to 50 percent, while Shields Elementary boasts numbers 70 percent to 80 percent.

“That seems like a pretty big problem,” Pearce said.

Milton parent Jeff Dailey said the district must ensure HOB and Milton Elementary receive the resources needed to help students there succeed.

“The essential question is how could this process be better,” he said.

Resident Frank Payton said the low-income label has divided the Milton community.

“You're trying to make something look politically correct on paper,” he said. “I'm not OK that these are low-performing schools, and they don't have resources.”

Assistant Superintendent Cathy Petitgout said HOB has received additional teachers and paraprofessionals in recent years. This year, she said, an English as Second Language teacher and paraprofessional were added, as were paraprofessionals for kindergarten classes. Two reading or math specialists were also added.

“If HOB has asked for more resources, we've tried to find a way to find it,” she said.

Board member Jen Burton said that two years ago HOB improved test scores from the beginning of the school year to the end – an accomplishment known as adequate yearly progress.

“There has been progress,” she said.

The state switched its test to Smarter Balanced last year, which is now administered once a year.

In defense of the 17 percent difference in the number of low-income students among Cape's elementaries, Fulton presented a chart of five, unnamed school districts that showed swings from 26 percent to 40 percent.

However, Pearce questioned why Fulton failed to provide the names of the school districts, which would be public information.

“It makes me trust you less,” she said. “It didn't work for me.”