Delaware has several groups directly focused on educational advocacy and reform.

Get to know the state’s education advocacy groups

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

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 …

The AIR report on Delaware's school funding system should be given to the state by the end of December.

Ed. leaders discuss equity ahead of December funding report

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

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 …

The Education Freedom even was held last week in Wilmington.

Education Freedom event highlights importance of bipartisanship

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Increasing awareness and decreasing partisanship are two of the most important factors to improve education in Delaware, attendees at the inaugural Education Freedom event learned. “The first step in creating Delaware-led solutions is to have open, honest and transparent conversations about the challenges and opportunities facing our schools,” said Julia Keleher, executive director of First State Educate, which had a …

school board

Education group seeks candidates to run for school boards

Betsy PriceHeadlines, Education

First State Educate/ First State Action Fund is seeking  community members committed to seeing their public schools thrive with rigorous, safe and supportive environments by serving on their elected local school board. Why should you serve? Did you know that less than half our students read on grade level and perform math with proficiency? The decisions made by local school …

There appears to be little correlation between cost per student and test scores.

Numbers show gaps in test scores, money spent on students

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The amount of money spent on Delaware students in 2022 varied widely from school to school and can’t be correlated with results on standard tests. The average per student expenditure for the top 10 performers on the Smarter Balanced Assessment – taken by students in third through eighth grade – is $17,894. It’s $11,489 for the schools that did best …

Delaware's 2023 state test scores were again disappointing to many.

School test scores dismal again despite new math, reading plans

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

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 …

Educate

First State Educate, Action Fund name new executive director

Betsy PriceEducation, Headlines

Julia Keleher, a Pennsylvania educational leader who once was sent to prision on fraud charges, has been named the new executive director of First State Educate and First State Action Fund, two linked nonprofits devoted to improving education in the Delaware. She succeeds Laurisa Schutt, who helped found the organiztions. Schutt will remain on the boards but is pursuing other …

This year's General Assembly had about 60 pieces of legislation relating to education.

Ed leaders detail what they consider legislation highlights

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

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 …

Districts and charters have spent different amounts of COVID-19 relief money.

Here’s how much COVID money districts, charters have spent

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Districts and charters have until Sept. 30, 2024 to spend more than half a billion dollars that was provided for COVID-19 pandemic relief. Delaware received $637,239,246 in the $122 billion federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, or ESSER Funds. Distributed in three separate rounds, ESSER Funds  which were allocated across three separate rounds and part of the American …

While school board elections turnout averaged 4.2%, many districts saw more participation.

School board elections: turnout low, but rising in places

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

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 …