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The proposed Las Americas ASPIRA Academy Dual Language Charter School in Georgetown will open a year later than planned. The bilingual school, which originally expected to welcome its first students in September 2026, is now set to open in fall 2027 due to funding issues tied to a federal tax-credit program and the ongoing government shutdown.
ASPIRA of Delaware CEO Margie López-Waite said the delay stems from challenges securing funding through the New Market Tax Credits, a federal program that helps finance projects in low-income communities.
“It was funding, really, what it comes down to. … We needed to secure about $10 million in tax credits this past summer,” López-Waite said. “We were only able to secure half of that, and so that definitely shifted the timeline because it’s going to take a full 18 months to renovate this building.”
The new school will be housed inside Georgetown’s historic Ice House at 107 Depot St. Renovations were expected to begin this year, but with the federal shutdown slowing the tax credit process, López-Waite said progress has stalled.
“This program is a federal one, and as we all know, we have a shutdown going on,” she said. “People in these offices aren’t working, so things have come to a halt.”
Still, she said the project remains on track in the long term and that the team has already identified backup funding sources if the shutdown drags on.
Before deciding to postpone, López-Waite said the team worked with town officials and community members to find a temporary location for the school. But after months of searching and exhausting every option, they decided to delay the project by a year to ensure stability once construction begins.
Despite disappointment over the delay, López-Waite said the community has been understanding.
“Like us, people were disappointed to hear about the delay,” she said. “They definitely understood the reasons why we’ve encountered these delays.”
To allow families to attend the school, ASPIRA is also adjusting its grade configuration to ensure that no student loses the opportunity to enroll.
“Instead of starting with kindergarten through second grade in 2026, we’ll now start with kindergarten through third in 2027,” López-Waite said.
Over the next year, the organization plans to keep Georgetown families engaged through community updates, hard-hat tours once demolition begins, and an early start to recruiting and hiring staff. The project will also rely heavily on businesses owned by Georgetown residents to help with construction — reinforcing the idea that this will be a school built for the community and by the community.
While setbacks are never easy, López-Waite said such delays are common for new charter schools, and the extra year will help ASPIRA better prepare for a strong opening.