New Data about Delaware’s Earliest Learners Reveal Need and Opportunity
In Delaware, we’ve known for years the importance of getting off to a great start. By the time a child celebrates his or her fifth birthday, nearly 90 percent of intellect, personality, and social skills are already developed. And when children arrive to kindergarten ready to learn, their chances to thrive in school...
What Makes a “Ready” Kindergartener?
In Delaware all kindergarten teachers—including ourselves—will complete an observational assessment called the Delaware Early Learning Survey (DE-ELS) during the first 30 days of school.
We are observing various objectives under six domains of developmental growth: physical, social-emotional, language, cognitive, literacy, and...
10 Questions with Michelle Shaivitz of DEAEYC
With momentum continuing to build in Delaware, there’s never been a better time to get involved in early childhood education.
We talked with Michelle Shaivitz, executive director of the Delaware Association for the Education of Young Children to learn more about advocacy, supporting the workforce, and where our state should focus...
Budget Woes Dominate Legislative Session
The Delaware General Assembly ended its session this year on an interesting quirk and plenty of frustration. After going past the June 30 budget deadline for the first time in decades, the legislative session officially concluded in the early morning hours of July 2nd, after a required extended time window, and a contentious budget negotiation...