Delaware pours billions of dollars into education each year, only to receive stressful news like some of the lowest standardized test scores in the country. A number of Delaware nonprofits devoted to improving education in the state want to see more impact for the state in jobs, test scores and another areas. Some have specific focuses such as encouraging more …
Ed. leaders discuss equity ahead of December funding report
Two dozen leaders from state and national educational organizations on Monday got a sneak peek of potential recommendations on how Delaware should fund schools. A report by the American Institutes for Research, being paid for by the Delaware Department of Education and designed to help guide state recommendations on changing the way schools are funded is expected to be released …
School test scores dismal again despite new math, reading plans
There was little cheering news Tuesday when Delaware released its 2023 state assessment results. The numbers are still grim, with the majority of students across the board failing to reach proficiency in math and reading. “I can’t imagine anyone looking at these test results and saying they are good enough,” said Julia Keleher, the new executive director of First State …
Ed leaders detail what they consider legislation highlights
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 …
Child care: 1st State lacks affordable options, report finds
A new report from Rodel shows that First State families do not have adequate access to affordable child care. A coalition of advocacy groups – including Rodel, the Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children, Delaware Readiness Teams and the First State Pre-K – conducted a survey with hundreds of Delaware families to gauge their feelings about child care …
Here’s why state wants advice on school funding
The Delaware Department of Education announced last week it has hired a Virginia consultant to study the state’s public education funding system. As today’s wisecracker would say: Good luck with that. How the money trickles down to the classroom is complex, and it follows a funding system established in the 1940s. The state’s population then was 286,000, compared to today’s …
Reading, teacher retention top successful 2022 education bills
Rodel, a local nonprofit espousing better education in Delaware, calls the 151st General Assembly, which just ended, the “Education General Assembly,” in regard to the number of education bills that passed. “There’s more than 50 education bills this session and a 7% increase in the budget,” said Madeleine Bayard, senior vice president of Rodel. “They got a lot done and …