The usage and policies surrounding artificial intelligence vary widely in Delaware schools as the technology behind AI rapidly advances.

Educators grapple with how to use AI in Delaware classrooms

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Every conversation with leaders from nine Delaware colleges and high schools about artificial intelligence’s presence in the classroom reveals unique ways the evolving technology is being used.  It’s created a problem for schools and colleges wrestling with setting up their guardrails and adopting recent guidance published by the Delaware Department of Education. “AI has been in the education space for …

Colonial's Shelby Borst is the 2025 Delaware Teacher of the Year.

Meet Shelby Borst: William Penn social studies teacher and the 2025 Delaware Teacher of the Year

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The reward for teaching for Shelby Borst comes from the looks on students’ faces when they learn something new. Borst, a social studies teacher at William Penn High School in the Colonial School District, got her own reward Tuesday night when she was named Delaware’s 2025 State Teacher of the Year.  She’s also a teacher who has spent time boosting …

AP participation and scores increased in the First State this year. (Photo from Winward Academy)

State sees more students taking – and scoring well – on AP tests

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Delaware schools this past spring showed a double-digit percentage increase in both the number of Advanced Placement (AP) tests taken and the number of students taking them. Students took 12,731 exams in May 2023, representing a 16.6% increase from the prior year, with 738 additional students – 11.3% more – taking AP exams. “Red Clay’s Strategic Plan has prioritized students …

Private tutoring is in high demand and has shown to have both academic and behavioral benefits for students. (Photo by Freedomz/Adobe Stock)

Private tutoring: high demand; can raise scores, confidence

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

With the funds that Delaware schools received for tutoring during the pandemic running out, many parents are sending their children to private tutoring services to catch up, tune their existing skills or even get a head start on the next school year.  “The challenge right now is for all of the last three years, all of the schools had ESSER …

Districts that have had successful referendums are now planning designs, construction bids, and how projects will be phased over the next few years.

Here’s what happens now in districts whose referendums passed

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Now that Colonial, Red Clay and Brandywine have had successful referendums, residents of those school districts may be wondering when they’ll have to pony up finances and when they’ll see new facilities. Delaware school districts that have had a successful referendum typically phase their spending over three years or more.  The concept of the referendum isn’t widespread nationally.  Delaware is …

Middletown will perform "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" this November. (Photo by RDNE Stock project/Pexels)

Middletown HS to stage Harry Potter ‘Cursed Child’ this fall

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Culture

The magic of Hogwarts is headed to 27 high schools in America – including one in the First State. Middletown High School in Appoquinimink School District will be full of wizards and wands Nov. 8-10 as its theater crew of more than 60 students in four performances of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” “We’re expecting more to …

Delaware has six district referendums this school year, the most since the 2009-2010 school year.

Why Delaware is having the most school referendums in 14 years

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The largest number of Delaware school districts in 14 years are holding elections in 2024 to ask their residents to agree to raise taxes for education. State and education leaders cite inflation, population growth, state-mandate raises for education, changes in funding and the COVID-19 pandemic as among reasons why six of the state’s 19 districts are making the case for …

Several school districts will hold a referendum this year to raise local revenue.

5 school districts to hold tax hike referenda in 2024

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Five of Delaware’s 19 school districts are asking their residents to head to the polls in 2024 and vote for a local tax increase. In the First State, districts must hold referendums if they want to increase their local school tax in order to increase local revenue. They include the Brandywine, Red Clay Consolidated, Colonial, Smyrna and Appoquinimink. Schools get …

Cory Hafer from Middletown High School is this year's state teacher of the year.

Meet Cory Hafer, Delaware’s 2024 Teacher of Year 

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Newark’s Cory Hafer entered the University of Michigan in 2005 planning on becoming a marine biologist or doctor.  Nearly two decades later, he’s making an impact in a different way: educating the youth in such an excellent manner that he was named the Delaware 2024 Teacher of the Year. RELATED: Middletown’s Cory Hafer named 2024 Teacher of the Year “Mr. …

The award honors schools for excellence in counseling.

Appo, Capital schools win award for excellence in counseling

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Two Delaware schools have been awarded the Sapphire Award for Excellence in School Counseling. Appoquinimink School District’s Bunker Hill Elementary School and Capital School District’s Kent County Secondary Intensive Learning Center were announced winners Monday in what is the state’s fourth year giving out the recognition. The award honors school counseling programs that are comprehensive, data-informed and designed to serve …