Wilmington – On Monday November 25th, Governor Jack Markell, and Lt. Governor Matt Denn joined officials from the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF/The Children’s Dept.) to announce the names of 12 organizations that have been selected to receive nearly $2.1 million dollars in after school and summer prevention program funds. The announcement was held at the Clarence Fraim Boys and Girls Club in Wilmington. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware is one of the funding recipients.

The initiative to support positive prevention activities for youth was part of Governor Jack Markell’s FY 14 Budget proposal. The General Assembly supported his budget request with $2.2 million as part of DSCYF’s budget for after school programs this session. This is the second round of funding allocated under the budget initiative. In September, a small portion of the budget was distributed to 13 organizations in the form of mini grants.

Applicants for the remainder of the funding were required to submit proposals that included evidence based practices or programs related to preventing youth violence and/or youth suicide. They were also required to include positive opportunities for youth that they might not otherwise have a chance to be exposed to. The grant recipients will be funded through June 2015 subject to continued funding appropriation in the Department’s FY 15 budget

“These places will be providing children with safe and welcoming spaces to do homework, play and enjoy being a kid,” said Governor Markell. “This is about creating opportunities for young people with positive experiences and after school activities that promote their intellectual growth and self-esteem.”

“The programs that were selected are very diverse in their makeup. They cover academics, exposure to nature, music and the arts, bullying, suicide and pregnancy prevention programming, sports and athletics, healthy living, life skills, and self-esteem building,” said Lt. Governor Matt Denn who read off the list of awardees at the event. “I feel confident that the programs being offered are going to have a long term impact on the kids who participate in them.”

The selected funding recipients will enter into contracts with the children’s Department’s Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services. Three of the 12 organizations will have programs running in all three counties, four will operate only in New Castle County, three will operate programs in both Kent and Sussex Counties only, and two will conduct their programs in Kent County alone. The Criminal Justice Council is partnering with the Children’s Department to provide monitoring and quality assurance for the contracts.

Additionally, suicide prevention training will be provided to staff of all of the selected programs so that they can assist in identifying at-risk youth. The prevention program initiative is partly an outgrowth of the initial recommendations by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the 2012 adolescent suicides in Kent County which pointed to a lack of after-school activities for youth in Kent and Sussex Counties.

“We were looking for programs that would provide positive experiences for youth, while also giving them safe and productive opportunities outside of school hours,” said DSYCF Secretary Jennifer Ranji. “The programs that were selected, coupled with the training they’ll receive, help support our mission of prevention or early identification of mental health needs so that we can prevent deeper entry into our system.”

The programs that were selected to receive after school and summer prevention program funding will serve approximately 1,500-1,800 youth. Roughly half of those children are in New Castle County, 25% are in Kent County and 25% are in Sussex County. The funding recipients are:

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware – to implement youth leadership clubs, operate a weekday drop in teen program and a Friday night program for academics, athletics and special events.

• Children and Families First – operating in Kent and Sussex counties. Activities will include academic support, life skills like cooking and computer classes and outdoor education.

• The University of Delaware Cooperative Extension – will operate four sites in both Kent and Sussex Counties. They will provide after school tutoring, music and art enrichment and summer programming that focuses on healthy living.

• Providence Service Academy – to operate in the city of Wilmington serving youth ages 12 – 18. They’ll implement a Youth Empowerment program to provide a variety of enrichment activities.

• West End Neighborhood House – also will operate in the City. Their focus will be on youth violence and suicide prevention through the use of several evidence based programs.

• Police Athletic League – will operate in Wilmington and NcCo in four locations. Their focus is on suicide and violence prevention through parent engagement, and after school and summer programs that promote homework assistance and fitness activities.

• Courageous Hearts – this equine assistance program operates in Kent and Sussex and will serve youth ages 12 – 17. They use horses as an equine assisted intervention to help youth overcome anxieties and build self-esteem, as well as provide a mechanism for family engagement.

• DEMCO – this Kent county program will serve children in grades 5 – 8. It provides tutoring and homework support, and sports and fitness enrichment for youth in at risk communities in Downtown Dover.

• The YMCA – will operate in Wilmington, and Kent and Sussex Counties and serve children ages 11 – 18. They will provide memberships to teens and leadership camps.

• Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Delaware – operating in all three counties, this program will serve youth ages 9 – 17 and provide mentoring services for at risk youth, particularly for LGBTQ youth.

• Delaware State University – Summer Youth Academy – this program will expose youth to opportunities for secondary education and mentoring, and promote self-discipline and self-confidence.

• The Mother African Union Church’s Peter Spencer Family Foundation project – operating in the City of Wilmington this program will provide evidence based, academically focused after school programming and gender specific summer programming at two sites.

The Children’s Department provides services to children who have been abused, neglected, are dependent, have mental health or substance problems, have been adjudicated delinquent by the Courts, as well as prevention services targeted toward all youth. For more information, please visit www.kids.delaware.gov.

Grants will allow public schools to offer advanced coursework to students

The Delaware Department of Education is pleased to announce the award recipients of its Accelerated Academic Grants, the new state program that made funds available for programs targeted at academically advanced students.

The program — created through legislation proposed last year by Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn and the chairs of the General Assembly’s education committees, Sen. Dave Sokola and Rep. Darryl Scott — allows school districts to design programs targeted at students who are ahead of grade level in reading, writing, math or science.

Local school districts and schools applied for start-up grants for programs targeted at students who are at least a half year ahead of grade level based upon current state standards.  Most of the programs are expected to be offered beginning in the 2014-2015 school year.

The reviewing committee selected eight awardees, with awards totaling $246,535.70.  The awardees represent each county (three in New Castle, three in Kent and two in Sussex), different grade levels and both traditional and charter schools.

The winners are:

• Caesar Rodney School District       $65,422.50
• Cape Henlopen School District      $57,623.20
• Brandywine School District             $30,000.00
• POLYTECH School District            $23,800.00
• Indian River School District            $21,100.00
• Las Americas ASPIRA Academy   $17,576.00
• Capital School District                     $16,740.00
• Newark Charter High School         $14,274.00

TOTAL                                        $246,535.70  

An additional $53,464.30 will be available under a second round of applications early next year.

“I am pleased to see the widespread interest in these grants and very impressed with proposals that will allow more of our advanced public school children to be challenged in the classroom,” Lt. Governor Matt Denn said. “There is a real demand among our public school parents for programs like these, and I hope to see even more of them in the future.”

Secretary of Education Mark Murphy said educators working closest to our students know best how to meet their needs: “That is why we are pleased to be able to support these local program ideas that, thanks to these grants, will allow accelerated learning for students who are eager for these types of new challenges.”

More detail on the winners follow:

• Caesar Rodney School District:  The district will use a STEM project approach pullout program in its middle schools with a blended learning opportunity to enhance the learning as well as providing accelerated opportunities using computer programs and tablets for accelerated students in the related arts.
• Cape Henlopen School District: The district will implement a progressive, rigorous approach in accelerated education through STEAM enriched instruction.  The program will include 60 identified 5^th grade students from four elementary schools and will inspire creativity, innovation and integrative problem solving above and beyond the curriculum.
• Brandywine School District: This vertically-designed program expands opportunities for high school students, offered as a STEM cluster of critical courses, but matched with arts and humanities.
• POLYTECH School District: This funding will allow POLYTECH to expand its AP services for students including online courses and more topics of study.
• Indian River School District: The BRITE (Bringing Intellectual Talents Everyday) Project’s purpose is to provide professional development for teachers and administrators’ implementation of the SpringBoard program with honors level students.  SpringBoard curriculua are designed to build a pathway in grades 6-10 towards AP competency in later grades.
• Las Americas ASPIRA Academy: ASPIRA will implement the QUEST (Quality Utilization and Enrichment of Student Talents) Program that will be focused on developing students’ critical, creative and logical thinking skills as well as problem-solving abilities.
• Capital School District : This funding will permit William Henry Middle School to implement Making Math Matter to identify 5^th and 6^th grade students from underrepresented groups with the potential for success in advanced math classes and prepare them to qualify for and pass Algebra I in seventh grade.
• Newark Charter High School: NCHS just opened for 9^th grade and is planning for grades 10 to 12.  This grant will allow the school to offer a wide variety of AP coursework for students capable of accelerated learning.         

 

 

 

Statewide Small Business Advisory Committee Meets
Speaks at Delaware School Nutrition Meeting about School Breakfast 

DOVER – Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn’s Small Business Advisory Committee began meeting in January of this year about a variety of issues that impact small businesses.  Improvements to the state’s small business loan programs, providing better information to small businesses about requirements of the Affordable Care Act, controlling workers compensation premiums, and state and county regulations are just a few of the topics that have been discussed.  The Committee’s 17 members represent a variety of small businesses throughout the state.

During tomorrow’s meeting – the last of 2013 – the discussion of how to make credit available to more small businesses will continue with John Fleming and Michael Rossi of the state Small Business Administration’s office and a representative of a local lender.  The committee will likely decide on recommendations that can be made to increase access to credit for small businesses.

A further discussion of the Affordable Care Act and its impact on small business is also on the agenda.  The meetings rotate between Wilmington and Dover, are posted in advance and open to the public.

Tomorrow afternoon, the Lt. Governor will be talking at the business meeting of the Delaware School Nutrition House of Delegates about trying to expand school breakfast to every elementary school classroom in the state.

9:30am – 11:30am     Small Business Advisory Committee meeting

The Tatnall Building
150 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, South
2^nd floor conference room
Dover

4:15pm – 5:15pm       Delaware School Nutrition House of Delegates Meeting
Modern Maturity Center
1121 Forrest Avenue
Dover

WILMINGTON – Today, Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn and Department of Education Secretary Mark Murphy announced the 2013 winners of the state’s Reward and Recognition School Awards, known informally as the state’s Academic Achievement Awards.  The announcements were made today in three separate press conferences, one in each county to honor the winners.

These awards, which carry a $50,000 prize for each school, were created by legislation spearheaded by the Lt. Governor and passed by the Delaware General Assembly in 2009.  The awards are given (a) to schools whose students are performing at an exceptionally high level, particularly those schools with large percentages of students coming from low-income households, and (b) to schools that have succeeded in closing the achievement gap for students such as low-income students, students from minority groups, and students with disabilities.  Winners were selected based on 2012-13 data.

This year, there are 2 Reward and 15 Recognition schools that will receive $50,000 each.  Funding for the awards comes from the state’s Race to the Top grant.  Additionally, there are 12 Schools of Continued Excellence which won Academic Achievement Awards last year and had outstanding performance again this year, but are not eligible for a financial award again until 2014.  The RTTT grant provides funding through 2014.

Lt. Governor Denn and Secretary Murphy were joined by the 29 principals and 13 superintendents of the winning schools, along with students, parents, teachers, administrators, and representatives from the State Board of Education and DSEA. The winning schools have much discretion in deciding how to spend the money. As in years past, each school will appoint a committee (with administration, teacher, support staff and parent representation) to determine how the award will be used.

““I am thrilled to be able to honor these schools with an award that will help them expand services for our students.  As in past years, I will be trying to visit as many of these schools in person as I can, so we can learn from schools whose kids are succeeding – often in spite of serious challenges,” Denn said.

Murphy also recognized dedication and hard work of the entire school communities — the educators, students, parents and community partners — whose collaboration helped the schools succeed.

“We must take what is working well in these schools and share those lessons with school communities throughout our state,” he said.

The 2013 winners are: 

Reward Schools

Title I schools (federal classification based on high percentage of low income population) identified for being either highest performing or high progress.

• Elbert-Palmer Elementary School, Christina School District
• Sussex Academy, Georgetown 

Recognition Schools

These are chosen for exceptional performance and/or closing the achievement gap. Both Title I and non-Title I schools can qualify. Two of the schools are also Title I Distinguished school awardees. They were Title I schools that met the criteria for Recognition School that had not been Title I Distinguished school awardees in past two years.

• Charter School of Wilmington, Red Clay School District
• Carrie Downie Elementary School, Colonial School District
• East Millsboro Elementary School, Indian River School District
• Georgetown Elementary School, Indian River School District
• Georgetown Middle School, Indian River School District
• Hanby Elementary School, Brandywine School District
• Lake Forest East Elementary School, Lake Forest School District
• Lake Forest North Elementary School, Lake Forest School District (also a Title I Distinguished school awardee)
• Lake Forest South Elementary School, Lake Forest School District
• Long Neck Elementary School, Indian River School District
• Middletown High School, Appoquinimink School District
• North Dover Elementary School, Capital School District
• W. B. Simpson Elementary School, Caesar Rodney School District
• St. Georges Technical High School, New Castle County Vocational Technical School District

• R. Elisabeth Maclary Elementary School, Christina School District(also a Title I Distinguished school awardee) 

Schools of Continued Excellence

Schools which have received state awards during 2012 and continue to qualify for Reward or Recognition School distinction in 2013 are named Schools of Continued Excellence to recognize their sustained accomplishments. They will be eligible for funds again next year if they meet the Reward or Recognition School qualifications.

• Beacon Middle School, Cape Henlopen School District
• John M. Clayton Elementary School, Indian River School District
• William B. Keene Elementary School, Christina School District
• Kuumba Academy Charter School
• Lord Baltimore Elementary School, Indian River School District
• Evelyn I. Morris Early Childhood Center, Milford School District
• Newark Charter School
• Rehoboth Elementary School, Cape Henlopen School District
• Richard A. Shields Elementary School, Cape Henlopen School District
• Phillip C. Showell Elementary School, Indian River School District
• Nellie Hughes Stokes Elementary School, Caesar Rodney School District
• Sunnyside Elementary School, Smyrna School District 

More Information 

In May of 2012, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan approved Delaware’s plan for school accountability and support, granting the state flexibility from certain requirements of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Under Delaware’s plan, schools work toward ambitious but realistic goals with the help of differentiated support from the state and their districts. 

The state’s school classification system recognizes those schools that are excelling as well as provides more support to those that need it. Award categories are named annually: Reward Schools, Recognition Schools including the two Distinguished Title I Schools awardees, and Schools of Continued Excellence. 

Reward Schools 

Under Delaware’s approved ESEA Flexibility, there is a provision to recognize two “Reward Schools” – one for “highest performing school” and one for “high progress school.” Reward Schools are Title I schools (based on poverty level). 

The “highest performing school,” made adequate yearly progress based on the latest assessment results. It was among the top 10 percent of schools for the performance of all students and each subgroup on the combined English language arts and math percent proficient on the latest assessment, and it was among the top 25 percent of schools for all students and each subgroup on the combined ELA and math percent proficient on the past two years’ assessments. 

The “high progress school,” showed significant annual growth for all students on the combined ELA and math percent proficient from the latest assessment and, in addition, reduced the gap for each subgroup. 

Each Reward school receives a $50,000 award. 

Recognition Schools (including the Distinguished Title I school awardees) 

Up to 15 schools are recognized each year for achieving and sustaining significant student academic gains. These schools are selected in a way that aligns with the Title I Distinguished school criteria with the categories of “exceptional performance” and “closing the gap.” Unlike Reward schools, Recognition schools can be either Title or non-Title I schools. 

“Exceptional student performance” schools met the annual measurable objectives based on the most recent two year assessment results. These schools are the highest ranked schools when scored using combined ELA and math percent proficient for all students and at-risk groups (combined African American, Hispanic, Students with Disabilities, English language learners and Free/Reduced Lunch) using the latest assessment results. 

“Closing the achievement gap” schools met the annual measurable objectives based on the most recent two year assessments. These schools have maintained or improved in the most recent assessment compared to the prior year’s assessments for ELA and Math percent proficient for all students and have improved in the most recent assessment compared to the prior year’s assessments for ELA and Math percent proficient for at-risk groups (combined African American, Hispanic, Students with Disabilities, English language learners and Free/Reduced Lunch). These schools are the highest ranked when scored using the difference in the achievement gap between the at-risk group and the all students group in most recent assessment as compared to the prior year’s assessments in ELA and Math. 

Distinguished Title I Schools criteria 

The National Title I Association has been selecting examples of superior Title I school programs for national recognition through the National Title I Distinguished Schools program since 1996.

The highest ranked Title I school from the “exceptional student performance” schools that has not been named a Distinguished Title I School in the previous year will be named a Distinguished Title I School.

The highest ranked Title I school from the “closing the achievement” schools that has not been named a Distinguished Title I School in the previous year will be named a Distinguished Title I School. 

Each Recognition school receives a $50,000 award. 

Schools of Continued Excellence 

Schools which have received state awards during 2012 and continue to qualify for Reward or Recognition School distinction in 2013 are named Schools of Continued Excellence to recognize their sustained accomplishments. There is no monetary award. 

Independent Study Attributes Improvement to 2011 Legislation

Wilmington, DE (Thursday, October 3, 2013) – Delaware’s public school districts reported a second consecutive year of improvement in early teacher hiring in 2012, after years of deteriorating hiring statistics. The University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration, which conducts the state’s annual teacher hiring survey, attributed the improvement to legislation written by Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn and State Senator David P. Sokola (D, Newark), chair of the Senate Education Committee.

In 2010, only 35.7% of the new teachers hired by Delaware’s 19 school districts were hired prior to August.  In 2011, the year that Lieutenant Governor Denn and Senator Sokola’s legislation was implemented, the number jumped from 35.7% hired before August to 51.4%. The improvement continued in 2012, with the percentage of teachers hired before August increasing again to 53.5%.

The Institute for Public Administration concluded its 2012-2013 report by stating, “What has led to the reduction in later teacher hiring in Delaware? The most obvious answer is Senate Bill 164 with House Amendment 1, the extension of SB 16….This bill was aimed at decreasing late teacher hiring, and it appears to have had the desired effect.” A copy of that report can be found here: http://www.ipa.udel.edu/publications/teacher_supply13.pdf.

Senate Bill 16 and Senate Bill 164 are bills written by Lieutenant Governor Denn and Senator Sokola, which changed the dates of state guarantees of teacher funds to local school districts from October to May. This earlier guarantee of state funds has allowed school districts to make firm hiring offers to teachers much earlier in the calendar year.

“Earlier hiring of teachers was one of the major roadblocks to teacher recruitment that schools identified for me,” Lieutenant Governor Denn said.  “With surrounding states making earlier hiring offers to the top students coming out of teaching schools, it was very difficult for Delaware schools to compete for the new teachers they wanted to hire.  That’s what motivated us to write this law, and I am extremely pleased to see what a dramatic impact it has had.”

“I’m very happy to see the progress that has been made so far in the early hiring of new teachers for Delaware’s schools,” said Sen. Sokola.  “My hope is that the number of teachers who are hired early will continue to increase.  Early hiring helps our new teachers get oriented quickly and work more effectively within the collaborative teaching model that is becoming so important to the success of our schools.”

Earlier this week, Delaware launched a new campaign, “Join Delaware Schools,” which is aimed at attracting the caliber of teachers necessary to realize the state’s vision of a world-class education system for all students. Central to the campaign is the launch of an online teacher recruitment portal — www.joindelawareschools.org — that gives applicants a one-stop site to look for and learn about education jobs in the state.  Join Delaware Schools is the first statewide teacher recruitment effort of its kind.