Today – Monday, Nov. 6 – is the first day Delaware’s school choice window opens, allowing parents to file applications to send their children to a school outside of their neighborhood. “Every child learns differently, which is why Delaware being a ‘school choice’ state is so important,” said Kendall Massett, executive director of the Delaware Charter Schools Network. “This week, …
Positive Outcomes Charter School of Camden came prepared for its sixth meeting with a state committee that reviews Delaware’s charter schools’ progress. Positive Outcomes showed the committee a short video presenting a lot of anecdotal and data-based successes. We’re very proud to be in front of you today seeking our sixth renewal of our school,” said Ed Emmett, school director. …
Six of the First State’s 23 charter schools are up for renewal this year and will have their futures decided at the State Board of Education’s December meeting. First State Military Academy, Freire Charter School Wilmington, Great Oaks Charter School, Kuumba Academy Charter School, Positive Outcomes Charter School and Sussex Montessori School are the six that submitted their renewal application …
As First State public schools reopen next week, most students won’t see much difference in the day-to-day workings of the classroom. But there’s a lot going on in the background. Many districts will be adopting new science and math curriculums designed to help counter the state’s dismal test scores – and continue the battle against COVID-19 learning loss. More mental …
With the 2023 General Assembly session ending in June, educational advocates are cheering the legislature’s action on early education, mental health support and transparency relating to school boards. One leader, though, would like to see bills that focus on letting parents know clearly and precisely what’s happening in the classroom, starting with easy to find proficiency ratings. About 60 bills …
A human resources director for the largest school district in Sussex County shocked a House Education Committee hearing in April when she told them about 300 of its 1,000 educators are off on any given school day. About 800 of those educators are teachers, and their absenteeism rains down problems for the district, said Celeste Bunting, director of human resources …
Five of Delaware’s 19 school districts no longer livestream their board meetings. Caesar Rodney, Delmar, Laurel, Smyrna and Woodbridge school districts removed the virtual option this years as students and faculty return to an in-person environment with pandemic restrictions diminishing. John Marinucci, the executive director of the Delaware School Boards Association, said the organization pushed for legislation that allowed, but …
The Delaware Charter Schools Network, 11 charter schools and the Delaware secretary of education are waiting on a judge’s ruling in a lawsuit about $4 million in tax revenue the charters say they are due. The network and the 11 charter schools sued Education Secretary Mark Holodick in Kent County Superior Court in July to get the money and to …
Delaware’s school choice application period is closing Wednesday, Jan. 11. That means families who want to send their children to a school outside of their regular feeder pattern for the 2023-24 school year only have a few days left to submit their paperwork. The good news: It’s mostly online. The First State is one of 13 in the country in …
As the academic year gears up, Delaware schools still have more than 500 teacher vacancies to fill. “We think about it as a perfect storm of conditions,” said Stephanie Ingram, president of the Delaware State Education Association. Schools expected to have a higher than normal number of retirements, partly because of the stresses of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. This …
