Quality Funding for Quality Schools
Yesterday I visited Elbert-Palmer Elementary School for the first time. It’s a classic-looking school that rises up from an entire city block in a residential area. Most beautiful to me were the faces of the students that greeted me and every other guest as we arrived. It was their first day of school, so they must have been asked to play the...
2011 AYP Ratings Released: A Short Reprieve, But Urgency Still Needed
The 2010-2011 AYP ratings were released Friday, and my wife and I were a bit surprised to see that a remarkable number of schools earned a “Superior” or “Commendable” rating. In fact, the number of schools ranked “Superior” went from 66 in 2010, to 137 in 2011. That means that close to 67% of the state’s 205 schools received a...
“Baby Race to the Top” Application Released
Today the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services released the Application for Initial Funding for the $500 million Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) Grant, of which Delaware is eligible for up to $50 million. The Early Learning Challenge is organized around five selection criteria:
A...
Governor Signs Charter Bill – But Delaware Still Trails Leading States
Today, Governor Markell signed House Bill 205 into law, inching Delaware one step closer towards creating a vibrant charter school environment; however, much more is needed in order to attract charters with proven track records of lifting low-income student achievement.
House Bill 205 has some positive components, including:
Providing...