Joseph E. Johnson Jr.

Highlands Elementary to be named for civil rights, education champion

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

  Highlands Elementary School in Wilmington will officially be known as Joseph E. Johnson Jr. Elementary school after a Monday ceremony that will honor a Delaware barrier breaker, civil rights champion and superintendent. Johnson, a lifelong educator and Wilmington native, was a civil rights champion who made Delaware history in 1968 by becoming the state’s first Black principal of a …

desks in classroom

School indoor air quality bill heads to Senate floor

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

  While a bill to make schools check air quality annually and quickly fix any problems drew support Wednesday, several legislators questioned whether it would cost more than expected to fix problems. Ultimately, Senate Bill 270 passed and will be headed to the Senate floor.  SB  270 has been five years in the making, said sponsor Sen. Stephanie Hansen, D-Newark …

books reading

Science of reading bill sails through Senate, awaits Carney’s signature

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

  A bill aimed at combating the sharp decline in Delaware’s literacy rates since 2002 swept through the General Assembly. It unanimously passed the Senate Tuesday, following a unanimous vote in the House last week. “I predict that in 10 years we are going to be in the top 10 states in reading proficiency because of what we’re doing here …

school room desks

Red Clay backs off official review of Wilmington Charter

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

  Red Clay’s school board will not be conducting a compliance or governance review on The Charter School of Wilmington. Instead, the Red Clay Consolidated School District board seemed satisfied with Charter’s answers to a letter about how the school will comply with criticisms from the Delaware attorney general’s office. Red Clay also will pay attention to Charter’s June 28 …

jesus rodriguez NcWNzEAD7Fs unsplash

House committee debates student crimes being reported to school

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

A fiery discussion in the state House of Representatives Education Committee about a bill that would prevent schools from being told about students involved in certain crimes away from campus ended Wednesday with the bill being tabled. The sponsor of House Bill 396, Rep. Dorsey Walker, D-Wilmington, told the committee that the bill was designed to prevent double punishment. The …

Conservatives marshal forces as school board elections near

Charlie MegginsonEducation, Headlines

Republicans are going all in this year to support their candidates for school board elections that take place in three weeks.  The Delaware State Republican Party is sponsoring a “Super Saturday Day of Action” Saturday to encourage volunteers to meet candidates and help them campaign The right-wing Patriots of Delaware this week sent out an email saying “it’s time to …

Legislators pass college livestream, school fingerprinting bills

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

A bill headed to the House after passing in the Senate would require state colleges to livestream trustee meetings and make that an an archive of them available to the public. Photo by Unsplash.   Two education bills sailed unanimously through the General Assembly Tuesday. The Senate unanimously passed a bill requiring Delaware colleges to livestream meetings and maintain an …

Contentious right-to-know school bill likely to fail in committee

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

  A bill that would require schools to publish information about what’s being taught and what materials are being used sparked a lively debate in committee. Photo by Unsplash.   For a hot second, it looked like a bill that would require schools to tell the public exactly what materials are being used for teaching, among other things, was going …

Padua students get hands-on STEM experience at UD, Chemours labs

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

Padua freshmen and sophomores create toys that are then presented to judges and industry experts, including Melissa & Doug reps.   The engineering students of Padua Academy are making their ideas come to life through the engineering facilities and a 3D design lab at the University of Delaware.  Two years ago, the all-girls school in Wilmington partnered with Chemours Discovery …

Bill ordering K-12 mental health curriculum on way to Senate

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

A bill that would require a statewide mental health curriculum has passed the House. Photo by Unsplash     A bill that will require the state to provide mental health education in every grade level passed the House and is headed to the Senate Education Committee. House Bill 301 would require the Delaware Department of Education to establish a statewide  …