MILFORD, Del. — The Milford School District Board of Education has approved state-mandated discipline improvement plans for Milford High School and Milford Central Academy after a second attempt at passage. The decision, made at the board’s July 21 meeting, follows requirements set by the Delaware Department of Education for schools with out-of-school suspension rates exceeding the state’s 15 percent threshold for student subgroups. Data from the 2023-2024 school year showed both schools disciplined students in groups such as low-income, African American, male, and students with disabilities at rates above the state’s limit.
Delaware law mandates that any school exceeding discipline thresholds for three consecutive years must submit, implement, and publicly post a corrective action plan for at least the following three years. Under these plans, both Milford High School and Milford Central Academy will focus on reducing the use of out-of-school suspensions by implementing a range of supports.
Steps include a multi-tiered system of support framework, mandatory staff training—totaling about 30 hours this year—and survey-based review processes involving students, families, and faculty. The district is also expanding alternatives to suspension through programs such as BRIDGES, which keeps students in school while addressing behavior through tailored interventions like conflict resolution or smoking cessation education. Officials emphasize that the intent of the improvement plan is to address underlying causes of misbehavior proactively and to provide social and emotional learning along with academics. The district will be monitored by the Delaware Department of Education during the next three years, with annual progress updates posted publicly.
