Area leaders look back on the challenges and successes of 2024

Delaware Live asked 40 Delaware community leaders across political and business spectrums to look back 2024 (they’ll look ahead at 2025 in a separate post). We got some great answers, but we were frankly disappointed by the number of responses. Perhaps next year.

In the meantime, please feel free to post your thoughts in the Comments. You can also see what Milford’s Jo Schmeiser and Mark Whitfield had to say on this topic here.

 BRANDON BRICE, Co-Founder of 100 Black Men of Delaware and State Secretary of the Delaware GOP.

What do you consider the most significant development or change in Delaware during 2024, and how did it affect our community? The most significant change was our recent State local elections. We have a very liberal legislature in Dover, and now Republicans have lost a very significant seat in New Castle County.

Which under-reported local story or trend from 2024 deserved more attention, and why was it significant for Delaware residents? The Story of Delaware’s educational rankings on education and literacy are near the bottom when compared to other states.

What was the most positive change or development you observed in our community this year? Voter turnout amongst African American male voters in Delaware at the State level, partly due to an election year.

How has Delaware’s character or community dynamic shifted in 2024, if at all? Delaware residents are finally waking up to the failed education policies of a one-party run State.

What local achievement or milestone from 2024 makes you most proud of our community? We kicked off the Fix the Damn Schools movement in New Castle County.

 

KATIE DODGE GILLIS, Executive Officer, Home Builders Association of Delaware

Which existing community strength could be better leveraged to improve life in Delaware? The size of our state puts us in a unique position to better connect with others across the state. Realistically, anyone from any part of the state could visit all three counties in one day and still be home for dinner. We need to leverage this to stop operating within silos and to foster better relationships with groups representing “conflicting” interests. Rather than standing in our own corners we need to bring people to the same table and we need to get to the root issues together, offering all sides equal opportunities to present their cases and be heard. Over the last year I have seen Delaware’s home builders in the same room as affordable housing groups and environmentalist groups, and instead of being at odds with one another, we are looking for ways to work together. I applaud the elected officials who recognize the importance of frequent and open communication amongst engaged stakeholder groups and hope that others will be open to seeking similar opportunities this coming year.

 

NANCY MERCANTE, Founder and President of Citizens for Delaware Schools

Looking back at 2024, I think the most significant developments in education included:

Dysfunctional School Boards: The weaknesses of several school boards emerged into the public eye as they struggled to maintain focus on the main goal of improving education in the midst of chronic absenteeism, teacher shortages, and classroom disruptions. A Cape Henlopen school board member resigned because she felt disrespected by the female members of the board, and their referendum failed twice in part due to public opposition to a natatorium. In addition, The Christina School Board is under a state DOJ review because of what it says are various violations of state law. A divided school board fired its highly regarded superintendent for unknown reasons. They then hired a temporary fill-in while paying the dismissed superintendent and hiring a recruitment firm to find a replacement. The fired superintendent is suing the school board and members who voted for his dismissal. One school board member has not physically lived in the district for most of the year. All these distractions left little time to focus on the educational needs for Christina students.

Removal of cell phones from classrooms in Delaware is one of the most significant steps in restoring order in the classroom. Research consistently shows that bullying is reduced, grades improved and mental health improved. Best of all, the cost is minimal (if pouches used). Studies show the benefits are especially strong at schools with students from low-income families. At the last Cape school board meeting, they said kids liked the change.

My biggest disappointment was the failure of the state legislature to pass meaningful education legislation focused on achieving academic excellence, specifically accelerating the timetable to implement the science of reading; making financial literacy a required course for graduation; requiring schools with single-digit proficiency to have an improvement plan; and requiring school performance and profiles be easier for parents to find.

 

TANYA HETTLER, PH.D., Director, Center for Education Policy at the Caesar Rodney Institute

At least 56% of Delawareans are not proficient readers. In Delaware’s K-12 public schools, 58% of students are not proficient in reading. It is essential that we further elevate literacy as a priority in Delaware. We must increase the awareness of this crisis and acknowledge literacy as an equity issue that is at the root cause of larger scale issues such as poverty, workforce pipelines and health concerns.

This challenge of improving statewide literacy is being undertaken by the Delaware Literacy Alliance. This group is focusing on Early and Childhood Literacy, Adult Literacy, and Health Literacy.

The Delaware Literacy Alliance is focused on the critical need for a unified organization to improve literacy levels across the state. While numerous organizations are already working on their own to improve literacy, there is a clear gap in coordinating efforts towards a collective impact approach. Additionally the Alliance is working to shift our efforts from a reactive to a proactive approach and to use teaching methods based in Science (i.e. the Science of Reading).

 

JIM MURPHY, Executive Director, Delaware, American Heart Association

Most significant development or change in Delaware during 2024: The Delaware Stroke Summit stands out as a landmark event. This year, we partnered with Dr. David Tam and Beebe Healthcare to bring together leading experts and healthcare professionals to address Delaware’s troubling status as No. 1 in stroke mortality. This summit spurred new conversations around prevention, treatment, and recovery, and has already inspired initiatives aimed at reducing these grim statistics. The progress sparked by this event impacts not just healthcare systems but families and communities across the state.

Under-reported local story or trend from 2024: Stroke prevention and awareness remained a critical but under-reported issue. Despite being the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S., stroke is largely preventable and treatable. Local strides in education, such as promoting the FAST acronym (Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911), deserved more attention to empower residents with life-saving knowledge.

Most positive change or development observed this year: The collective commitment of Delaware’s healthcare community to reducing stroke mortality was deeply encouraging. We saw a surge in interdisciplinary collaboration, with hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and community organizations working together to improve stroke care pathways and patient outcomes.

Delaware’s character or community dynamic in 2024: This year highlighted Delaware’s resilience and collaborative spirit. Faced with sobering health statistics, our community showed a willingness to engage in hard conversations and commit to meaningful action. The way Delawareans rallied behind health equity initiatives, particularly in stroke care, reflects a growing dedication to inclusivity and systemic improvement.

Local achievement or milestone that makes us proud: Celebrating the American Heart Association’s 100th anniversary in 2024 was an extraordinary moment. It marked a century of impact and reinforced our commitment to the fight against stroke. Seeing Delaware communities embrace our mission and prioritize health education is a milestone that fills us with pride.

 

HON. WILLIAM WITHAM JR, Resident Judge, Delaware Superior Court and retired Colonel

I think there are two stories that are very important for Delaware that were reported (not enough) in 2024.

First, the enactment of the Hospital Review Board, which will be very destructive in improving health care in Delaware. Costs cannot be governed by bureaucrats; they will increase costs. Medicare is out of control, due to the middle man and the distortionary tax exclusion for employer-sponsored health care. This is a mistake.

Second, the authorization of recreational marijuana – not giving any tax money to towns — is a killer since the enforcement, increase of crime and ruination of our youth will expand in a dramatic fashion.

In addition, a developing story for 2025 is the increasingly potential loss of Delaware as “the Corporate State.” Recent adverse cases by our Court of Chancery and Supreme Court makes Delaware less of a hospitable place to do business. We can’t afford to lose 25% or more of our tax revenue. More on this later, I am planning to write some more on this on the abetterdelaware.org, blog.

 

COLLEEN PERRY KEITH, President, Goldey-Beacom College

What was the most positive change or development you observed in our community this year? The importance that the Delaware Business Roundtable has placed on Early Childhood Education as a key component for future workforce needs and improved educational outcomes for our youth.