First State Educate, a state educational advocacy organization, has launched a mini grant program that will distribute a total of $10,000 to Delaware school board members. “School boards play a pivotal role in decision making that can directly impact student outcomes,” said Julia Keleher, chief strategy and operations officer at First State Educate. The grants will help enhance the effectiveness …
The president of the tumultuous Christina School District Board of Education said a new – and free – training program from a state education group is much needed and very beneficial. “I’ve had this conversation with other legislators about bringing in organizations like School Board Partners to train our board members, and I think if you look at what’s going …
Only 16 candidates will compete for a school board seat this year when the polls open Tuesday at 7 a.m. In a year that already had fewer races than normal, candidates have been dropping out since qualifying, narrowing the field. Seven of Delaware’s 19 school districts have school board elections, with polls open until 8 p.m. Preliminary results are expected …
School board members, who are in large part responsible for the spending decisions of millions of dollars from school districts, could soon be required to undergo financial training. House Bill 312, sponsored by Rep. Kim Williams, D-Marshallton and chair of the House Education Committee, which requires school board members to undergo training in financial responsibility. Legislators in the Senate Education …
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 …
The most recent plan to attract teachers to Delaware schools was applauded in the Senate Education Committee Wednesday. House Bill 138, sponsored by Rep. Kim Williams, D-Marshallton and chair of the House Education Committee, addresses the ongoing national teacher shortage. The legislation establishes a new tool to recruit and retain educators through an apprenticeship pilot program. This model will build …
Bills dealing with school construction, junior ROTC, Department of Education background checks and school resource officers were sent to the House ready list Wednesday by the Education Committee. House Bill 169, sponsored by Rep. Kim Williams, D-Marshallton and committee chair, requires the secretary of education – currently Mark Holodick – to publish and deliver a report to the General Assembly …
Although last week’s school board elections had extremely low voter turnout, one education group points out this year’s numbers rose in many prominent districts. It has been consistently said that only about 10% of eligible voters hit the polls in school board elections. Of the 11 school districts that had races this year, just one, Delmar, hit that mark, with …
With pressure from Delaware educational organizations, a bill that would prevent delays to school board candidate campaigns garnered support Wednesday from the Senate Education Committee. House Bill 88, sponsored by Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark, would require the state’s Department of Elections to publicly list school board candidates who are waiting for their background checks to be completed as a “provisional …
A bill that would drop the age to vote in school board elections to 16 is drawing strong opposition from one education group. The voting age now is 18. House Bill 96, sponsored by Rep. Eric Morrison, D-Glasgow, which would lower that voting age for school board races, is set to be heard Wednesday at the 3 p.m. House Education …
