TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Janai Bowens, City Manager's Office
THROUGH: Terrence R. Moore, ICMA-CM
DATE: May 6, 2025
Title
FOLLOW-UP CONSIDERATIONS FOR FY26 EDUCATION GOALS AND PRIORITIES
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
The presentation seeks to establish direction and priorities from the City Commission relating to the education goals and priorities for the 2026 program year.
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Background:
On March 27, 2025, Education and External Opportunities Manager, Janai Bowens, proposed amendments to the Always Delray Comprehensive Plan's Education Element's 'Data, Analysis. and Inventory' section and 'Goals, Objectives, and Policies' section. Proposed amendments to the Data, Analysis, and Inventory section included updates to school performance data, enrollment data, demographic data, and graduation data. SY '24 student proficiency data illustrated that 44% of tested Delray Beach Public School's students were proficient in kindergarten readiness standards, 52% of tested Delray Beach Public School students were proficient in grade-level reading, and 54% of tested Delray Beach Public School students were proficiency in grade-level math. Implications of this data reflected an increase in economically disadvantaged students, with 89% of current Delray Beach students receiving supplemental social assistance. Another implication of this data includes an increase of English Language Learners within Delray Beach Public Schools, with 25% of students enrolled in Delray Beach Public Schools proficiency in languages other than English. Furthermore, 17.5% of students attending Delray Beach Public schools are identified as students with disabilities.
To support the findings of the data, proposed amendments to the goals, objectives and policies within the City of Delray Beach Comprehensive Plan reflects the City's priorities in educational advocacy. quality education initiatives, community character and collaboration with The School District of Palm Beach County and local nonprofit agencies. The policies and goals proposed during the March 27th, 2025 workshop underscored the importance of reengaging families with inclusion practices (i.e. supporting language access to information communicated from the City of Delray Beach), investing early in early childhood education and development, supporting campaigns and collaborations to increase grade-level proficiency in reading and math, increasing workforce development initiatives, and collaborating with educational nonprofits and agencies to support out-of school-time.
This follow-up presentation will establish priorities for the 2026 program year that are aligned to the shifts in data and policies within the City of Delray Beach Comprehensive Plan's Education Element. Staff will propose goals related to school readiness, grade-level proficiency, and workforce development for the City Commission to provide direction and considerations. Staff will prepare budgetary considerations and strategy alignment based on the direction from the City Commission to achieve education related goals to assist in the improvement of student outcomes in Delray Beach,