Wednesday's webinar was meant to engage community members into learning and giving feedback about public education in Delaware.

First State Educate details problems, solutions to education

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

An organization aiming to reform education in Delaware hosted an informative webinar Wednesday that painted a picture of a poor return on investment, the importance of a successful education system, the need to engage with legislators and more. First State Educate’s chief strategy and operating officer Julia Keleher hosted the virtual meeting, which also tried to get the sense of …

Delaware has six district referendums this school year, the most since the 2009-2010 school year.

Why Delaware is having the most school referendums in 14 years

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The largest number of Delaware school districts in 14 years are holding elections in 2024 to ask their residents to agree to raise taxes for education. State and education leaders cite inflation, population growth, state-mandate raises for education, changes in funding and the COVID-19 pandemic as among reasons why six of the state’s 19 districts are making the case for …

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 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 …

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 …

DelawareLive Aug 6

DelawareLIVE Weekly Review – August 6, 2023

Sonja FreyDelaware Live, Weekly Review

This Week’s Review Includes: ‘Ready to go’ says Learning Collab’s 1st exec. director Faithful Friends: 50% more pets saved in 4 years with new HQ Del Art Museum: new residency bridges past and present Wilm U to add esports certificate to list of offerings Odessa Ducks stadium the newest in the state Click on the image below to view the …

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 …