Delaware unveils education plan to win millions in stimulus funding

Dec 2, 2009 — Dover Post

Dover, Del. -

Delaware will focus on improving teacher evaluations and the way it turns around struggling schools as part of its efforts to cash in on the federal "Race to the Top" competition that provides stimulus funding to states that show innovation in improving public schools.

The U.S. Department of Education is conducting the $4.35 billion competition as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009’s allocation of $100 billion for education.

“Today and tomorrow, a thriving public education system is and will be the cornerstone to ensuring that Delaware remains an attractive place for families to live and for businesses to grow,” Gov. Jack Markell said Tuesday, Dec. 1.

The “Plan to Strengthen Delaware’s Schools” focuses on:

* Setting high standards for children to learn, with those standards benchmarked against national and international standards to ensure students can compete in the world economy

* Improving the way Delaware prepares, hires, and supports teachers; it must also evaluate how the best teachers in our schools developed those skills, and apply those lessons to developing teachers of the future and better compensate teachers in the most challenging schools

* Using the data it collects about students throughout their education careers to support decision-making in the classroom and to determine what teaching methods, teachers and schools are effectively educating students

* Targeting and turning around persistently low-performing schools; approximately 40,000 Delaware students are in schools that did not meet targets for educational progress in 2008-09

Markell and the Department of Education have sought the input of teachers, administrators, students the business community, parents, the disabilities community, higher education leaders and legislators over the course of several months. Markell and Secretary of Education Lillian M. Lowery will attend community forums in local districts to discuss the plan in depth and how the plan aligns with efforts to compete in Race to the Top.

The public will have 30 days to comment on the regulations before their proposed adoption in January. The Delaware State Board of Education is expected to hold two public meetings where the plan will be discussed.

The regulations are available by clicking here.