Department of Education to release millions of new records to open data portal

The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) is releasing close to 10 million new data records to Delaware’s Open Data Portal. The current DDOE education data sets will be replaced by 15 new sets covering both educator and student aggregate data spanning 2015-2019. This data release greatly expands the education data provided on the portal and is designed to allow for deeper and more comprehensive analysis.

“Researchers and members of the public frequently request these data sets for their own analysis. Until now, that meant submitting a work request to the department as well as a time and cost burden for both the requester and our staff. I’m so excited that the public now will have open access to such deep and rich information,” Secretary of Education Susan Bunting said.

The Delaware Department of Education is a member of the Delaware Open Data Council, which brings together leaders from across state government focused specifically on making more data available to members of the public. The council is tasked with managing the Open Data Portal, promoting open data, establishing a statewide data strategy, and recommending data standards for public data.

A breakdown of the records being released is included in the table below. The release also will allow users to sort data by multiple demographic indicators. For example, under the current demographic summaries, a user can filter by two factors. For example, one can look at assessment results by grade and race. The new data sets will allow a user to filter by multiple demographic combinations. For example, one could look at assessment results by grade, race, gender and special population at the same time. The new data sets also will include a consistent key that allows users to connect data sets to provide more context.

“Open data is a powerful tool for community members to better understand and make decisions about the communities that they live in. The Department of Education’s launch of comprehensive datasets represents a major step forward in empowering community members to make decisions for themselves by using aggregated student and educator performance data,” said Ryan Harrington, co-founder of Open Data Delaware.

Media is invited to join the Delaware Department of Education and Open Data Delaware at 6 p.m. Thursday, October 10 at the Kingswood Community Center, 2300 Bowers St. in Wilmington, for the release. Representatives from DDOE’s Data Management and Analytics team will be on hand to provide information about the data sets as well as answer questions.

New Open Data Portal Files and Records

Name	Description	Years
Educator – Average Salary	This dataset contains average total, federal, state, and local salaries for full-time staff. In addition, this file provides the number of full-time equivalent positions in each organization, average years of experience, as well as average years of age	2015-2019
Educator – Characteristics	This dataset contains counts of full-time staff in each organization	2015-2019
Educator – Mobility	This dataset contains retention, transfer, and turnover rates for full-time staff. In addition, this file provides one through five year rates for each mobility category	2015-2019
Educator – Salary Distribution	This dataset contains salary distribution information for full-time staff	2015-2019
Educator – Education Level	This dataset contains salary matrix by educational level and experience for full-time staff	2015-2019
Student – Assessment Participation	This file contains the number of eligible students, tested students, and the corresponding participation rate for the key annual assessments administered during a given school year	2015-2019
Student – Assessment Performance	This file contains the number of tested students, proficient students, and the corresponding proficiency rate for the key annual assessments administered during a given school year	2015-2019
Student – Attendance	This file contains the number of actively enrolled students (as of June), their average days of enrollment, average days absent, and the percentage of students deemed chronically absent within a given school year	2015-2019
Student – Discipline	This file contains the number of students who have received at least one disciplinary action of in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, or expulsion within a given school year	2015-2019
Student – Dropout	This file contains the number of students reported as part of the official dropout statistics within a given school year. The file contains the number of dropouts, the students enrolled and the corresponding dropout rate	2015-2017
Student – Enrollment	This file contains both the fall and end-of-year enrollment statistics within a given school year	2015-2019
Student – Graduation	This file contains the number of students and the corresponding graduation rate of students who receive a regular high school diploma at the end of their high school matriculation	2015-2017
Student – Growth	This file contains the average percent of growth targets met as reported in the Delaware School Success Framework.	2018-2019

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, (302) 735-4006

Division of Child Support Offices Statewide Will Be Closed Sept. 27

NEW CASTLE (Sept. 23, 2019) – Delaware Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) offices in all three counties will be closed Friday, Sept. 27, due to an in-service staff meeting. Child support customers who have in-person business are encouraged to come earlier in the week.
Account information can be accessed 24/7 by calling the Automated Assistance Line at 302-577-7171 or logging into the customer website. Information about the customer website and how to create a username and password can be found at DCSS’s website.
Delaware Child Support Services offices will return to regular hours at 8 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30.
For information about Delaware’s child support program, visit the website or the division’s Facebook page.

Annual Disability Awareness Poster Contest

Dover, Delaware – October is disability history and awareness month in Delaware. The Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens (GACEC) will once again host a Disability History poster contest. The annual Disability History poster contest provides kindergarten through 12th grade students an opportunity to convey their thoughts about disability awareness issues through art.

Posters will be judged by division’s elementary, middle, high school, computer-generated art (available to grades 9-12 only) and adapted art. Adapted art includes artwork done by students who may need to use adaptive equipment and require assistance to complete their project.

First, second and third place winners are chosen in each division, and winners and their families will be invited to an awards banquet hosted by GACEC. The deadline for poster entries is Friday, November 1, 2019. This year’s theme is “Inclusion is within everyone’s ability, WE ARE ALL ABLE.

For more information and poster contest guidelines, please visit gacec.delaware.gov. or contact sybil.baker@delaware.gov

“William Penn Day” at Delaware’s New Castle Court House Museum on Oct. 26, 2019

(DOVER, Del.—Sept. 23, 2019)—On Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, the New Castle Court House Museum, located at 211 Delaware St. in New Castle, Del., will present “William Penn Day,” a day-long series of activities commemorating the 337th anniversary of Penn’s Oct. 27, 1682 disembarkment at New Castle, his first landing in the New World. Admission for all programs is free and open to the public. For additional information, call 302-323-4453.

William Penn Day 2019 schedule of activities

— Livery of Seisin ceremony. Historical interpreters Bob Vander Decker, David Price, and New Castle resident Jim Whisman as William Penn, re-enact the ceremony in which the town of New Castle, and a 12-mile circle of land surrounding it, were conveyed to William Penn by appointed representatives of the Duke of York. 10:15 a.m.

— “The 1670 Tryal of William Penn.” Historical play about the trial of William Penn (portrayed by Jim Whisman) who was accused of unlawful assembly and inciting a mob by preaching to a group of Quakers on a London street. Issues of religious freedom and the rights of a jury are explored in this 30-minute performance. Audience members may participate in the trial as witnesses and as members of the jury. 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

— “Meet Mrs. Penn.” Living-history performance by New Castle resident Jean Norvell as Hannah Penn. 12:30 p.m.

— The Delaware Music School’s Suzuki Violins. Performance by young violinists. 2 p.m.

— “Penn of Pennsylvania.” Screening of the 1942 film, starring Clifford Evans and Deborah Kerr, which explores Penn’s fight for religious freedom and the founding of Pennsylvania. 4 p.m.

— Baroque music concert. 6 p.m.

— Tours of the New Castle Court House Museum. Between performances from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Constructed in 1732, the New Castle Court House is one of the oldest active court buildings in the United States and was Delaware’s first state capitol. Here, the Colonial Assembly passed the 1776 Separation Resolution creating the Delaware State. During its nearly 300 years of history, this National Historic Landmark has played pivotal roles in the political, social and commercial life of both New Castle and Delaware. The museum is a partner site in the First State National Historical Park.

The New Castle Court House Museum is administered by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, an agency of the State of Delaware. The division enhances Delaware’s quality of life by preserving the state’s unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history. The division’s diverse array of services includes operation of five museums which are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, administration of the State Historic Preservation Office, conservation of the state’s archaeological and historic-objects collections, operation of a conference center and management of historic properties across the state. Primary funding for division programs and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, a federal agency. However, the contents and opinions expressed in the division’s programs and services do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Department of the Interior.

-End-

Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 302-739-7787
E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web: http://history.delaware.gov

Falls Prevention Awareness Week Features Sept. 23 Screening for Newark Senior Center Members

DOVER (Sept. 20, 2019) — Falls among older adults are the leading cause for injury deaths and non-fatal injuries, including hip and brain injuries. The Delaware Coalition for Injury Prevention’s Fall Prevention Team is hosting a falls prevention screening for members of the Newark Senior Center, 200 Whitechapel Drive, Newark, DE 19713, on Monday, September 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

To reduce their risk of falling, the Fall Prevention Team recommends that seniors access both online and community resources, such as taking A Matter of Balance, Tai Chi, gardening, or dance classes to build strength and flexibility through easy and effective exercises. Older adults can remain steady on their feet if they stay active and exercise regularly. They should discuss concerns about falls with their primary care provider and review medications with a doctor or pharmacist. Seniors should also have regular hearing and vision exams, and follow up on provider recommendations. Falls can further be prevented with adequate sleep and nutrition, and by removing fall hazards in living spaces.

To encourage Delawareans to support fall prevention strategies, Governor John Carney and Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long proclaimed the week of September 22-28, 2019 as Falls Prevention Awareness Week in Delaware. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) designates the first day of the fall season as National Falls Prevention Awareness Day, which is September 23 this year.

Communities can join this effort to reduce risk factors and support the overall health and the ability of all persons to live well and age in place. Municipalities, businesses, schools, and organizations can maintain walkways, paint curbs and slopes, install handrails, and provide ramps, automatic doors, and curb cuts to assist people of all ages avoid falls.

Falls are painful and can be disabling, leading to drastic life changes and costing an average of $30,000 per fall injury in hospital expenses alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The number of seniors over 64 admitted to Delaware hospitals for treatment of fall injuries rose from 2,007 in 2013 to 2,264 in 2017, according to the Delaware Trauma System Registry.

The vision of the Delaware Coalition for Injury Prevention (DCIP) is a safe, injury-free Delaware. The Division of Public Health (DPH) Office of Emergency Medical Services staffs the DCIP, which includes volunteers, business owners, health care institutions, and state and local government agencies. For more information about the DCIP’s Falls Prevention Team, or the falls prevention screening being held at Newark Senior Center, contact Diana Curtis at 302-744-6295 or Diana_Curtis@bayhealth.org.

More information about falls, injury prevention, and services and supports for older adults are available through these resources:
• DCIP: dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/ems/injuryprevention/
• Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD): dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dsaapd/
• Delaware Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC): Available 24/7 at 1-800-223-9074 or DelawareADRC.com.
• CDC: cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/
• NCOA Center for Healthy Aging, National Falls Prevention Resource Center: https://www.ncoa.org/center-for-healthy-aging/falls-resource-center/

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.