Teacher absenteeism is affecting different districts in unique ways.

Teacher absenteeism calls for staff flexibility, strategies

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

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 …

Several school districts removed the virtual option for board meetings. (Unsplash)

5 school districts drop virtual option for board meetings

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

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 …

Education Secretary Mark Holodick has been sued by 11 charter schools over alleged financial dues. (Unsplash)

Charter Schools sue Holodick over special ed payments

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

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 …

School choice applications for Delaware's public schools close next Wednesday, Jan. 11.

School choice applications close Jan. 11

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

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 …

Delaware schools have hundreds of openings as students return for the 2022-23 year.

Delaware schools need 500 teachers. Here’s where

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

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 …