Governor Meyer Signed Public Education Funding Commission Bill, Funding $100 Million To Delaware Public Schools
Governor Matt Meyer says Delaware is moving toward a more equitable, student-centered public school funding system after signing two bills recommended by the Public Education Funding Commission. The bills, signed June 30th, authorize a new needs-based school funding formula and make the commission permanent to provide ongoing oversight, transparency and accountability. The Delaware Department of Education has already begun implementing the changes.
Additional Information from the Office of Governor Matt Meyer:
Today, Governor Matt Meyer celebrated two Public Education Funding Commission (PEFC) bills aimed at improving equity, flexibility, transparency, adequacy, and accountability for Delaware Public Schools.
The two bills were signed into law on June 30, 2026. SB 302 acknowledges and authorizes the Delaware Department of Education to adopt the hybrid school funding formula recommended by the PEFC, and modernizes the funding formula, moving Delaware to a more student-centered, needs-based structure. The companion bill, SB 303, ensures accountability and implementation by codifying the PEFC into law.
Together, these bills make Delaware’s commitment to its children real, measurable, and enforceable, and they represent the most significant transformation of Delaware’s public school funding system in a generation.
“Today, we’re giving the teachers, counselors, and school administrators the resources to match their faith in kids across our state,” said Governor Matt Meyer. “Delaware is telling every child: we see you, we believe in you, and your future is worth investing in. And today we move forward with a system that finally asks the right question: not where a child lives, but what that child needs to succeed.”
The public bill ceremony was held at Harlan Elementary School, the school Governor Meyer attended as a child growing up in Wilmington. The school was constructed in 1932 and is led by Principal Tracey Roberts, who noted during her remarks that students, parents, and the community will soon see the impact of this legislation, and that lawmakers, educational leaders, and advocates across Delaware are looking forward to seeing its positive impact and changes to come from the Department of Education.
“Passing this legislation is an important milestone, but laws alone do not improve outcomes for students,” said Secretary of Education Cindy Marten. “The work ahead is implementation. Senate Bill 302 helps create the pathway for a new funding framework, and Senate Bill 303 helps ensure the ongoing public process, transparency, and accountability needed to get this right. This is not a finish line or a victory lap. It is the beginning of the next phase of a shared civic project: working with districts and charters, educators, families, students, communities, legislators, and the Governor’s Office to make sure these changes reach classrooms, support the students who need it most, and strengthen public education across Delaware.”
Legislators connected with diverse families across the state to better understand how the funding should be best allocated to ensure all communities have access to quality education and schools as they prepare for tests, graduation, secondary education, and employment.
“The evidence is clear: states that spend more per pupil and target more funds towards low-income and multilingual learners have better overall outcomes when it comes to testing, graduation rates, employment rates, and many other key indicators of success,” said Sen. Laura Sturgeon, chair of the Public Education Funding Commission. “I’m grateful to our Governor, our Secretary of Education and other members of the PEFC, my colleagues in the legislature and the countless other educators, advocates, parents, and students who have helped us get to this point.”
Helen Anderson, an educator, PEFC member and longtime advocate, noted the generational impact this legislation will have. Anderson stated, “What we do for children today will matter to the adult of tomorrow.”
That impact extends beyond the classroom to the funding structures that make it possible. “The way we fund our schools affects far more than what happens in the classroom, it impacts the resources available to students, the support educators can provide, and the opportunities that help shape a child’s future. That is why getting this right matters so much,” said Rep. Kim Williams, Chair of the House Education Committee and House sponsor of SB 302 and SB 303. “The bills signed into law today are the biggest step Delaware has taken in years to create a more modern and equitable approach to education funding and I look forward to seeing their impact on our students and school communities.”
The Delaware Department of Education has already begun implementation of the PEFC legislation.