Delaware Education Overview
Delaware public schools serve a diverse student population with complex needs and immense potential. Over the past decade there have been several big shifts that are increasing educational opportunities.
The Rodel Foundation of Delaware works in partnership with policymakers, researchers, and educators on the ground to make policy changes that have a significant impact on student outcomes, like raising academic standards, using timely data to make decisions, supporting innovations in personalized learning, recruiting and supporting great teachers and leaders, and investing in our youngest learners.
Delaware’s school choice program is the vehicle by which parents can enroll their children in any public school in the state, provided the school has capacity and parents follow the school choice application process. Nationwide school choice research indicates that in areas with school choice programs, there is some increased persistence to a high school degree, decreased dropout rates, and increased parent and student school satisfaction (Education Commission of the States). Rodel supports the development of a high-quality school choice system for Delaware’s students and families by monitoring policies and working with partners across the state.
Rodel Resources
- Delaware Public Education at a Glance (2015-16): Our Delaware public education resource guide features key statistics and information on Delaware teacher leaders, including: demographics, years of experience, educational attainment, compensation, performance evaluations, and turnover.
- Education Landscape Policy Brief (2015): This brief provides an introduction to the issue, overview of the current landscape in Delaware, summary of how Delaware compares to other states and the nation, and links to additional resources.
- Additional Detail on the Education Landscape (2015): Data and information about education in Delaware and nationally.
- Delaware Public School Governance (2015): This flowchart illustrates the governance of the K-12 system in the 2015-16 school year.
Check out the Rodel blog for more information!
Other Delaware Education Overview Resources
- Student Success 2025 (2015): The Vision Coalition of Delaware collaborated with 4,000 Delawareans, to create a plan that will prepare all students for a lifetime of success.
- Vision 2015 Plan (2005): A bold plan created by education, government, business and civic leadership, and citizens in Delaware to provide world-class public education for all students in Delaware.
- Delaware School Profiles: State, district, and school level education data from the Delaware Department of Education.
- Delaware Department of Education mapping: An interactive map for schools, districts, day cares and more; List of legislators by school district; Search feature to find your school or district.
- Special Education Overview Presentation (2015): This presentation gives a brief overview of special education in Delaware.
- Wilmington Education Policy Brief (2015): This brief gives an overview of Wilmington enrollment trends, choice trends, and seat projections.
- Additional Information on Wilmington Education (2015): This presentation gives a brief overview of the Wilmington education landscape.
- Summary of Recent Reports on Wilmington Education (2015): These slides summarize the recommendations made by Wilmington education advisory groups and task forces from 2001-present. Including, the Wilmington Neighborhood Schools Committee, the Wilmington Hope Commission, the Wilmington Education Task Force, the Wilmington Education Advisory Committee (WEAC), and the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission (WEIC), and others.
- Overview: School Choice (2015): This brief gives an introduction to school choice deadline, policies, and options in Delaware.
- Additional Detail on School Choice (2015): Data and information about school choice in Delaware and nationally.
- Delaware Public Education at a Glance: Research and data includes information on student enrollment.
- Delaware School District and Charter Maps (2015): Maps showing the location of Delaware’s districts and charter schools.
Check out the Rodel blog and the Legislative Monitor for more information!
Other Resources
- Strengthening Wilmington Education: An Action Agenda (2015): Wilmington Education Advisory Committee Report recommending an action agenda for creating responsive governance, meeting Wilmington student need, funding student success, and implementing change.
- Redistricting the City of Wilmington and New Castle County (2016): Wilmington Education Improvement Commission report providing a transition, resource, and implementation plan for redistricting the City of Wilmington and New Castle County.
- Delaware Department of Education School Choice Program: The Department of Education’s school choice website
- Statewide Review of Educational Opportunities (2015): This study provides an overview of the educational opportunities, access, availability, and enrollment available for Delaware’s students.
- Statewide Review of Educational Opportunities Interactive Map: An interactive map of the educational program options in Delaware schools