With a new school year beginning for many Delaware students next week, Governor Jack Markell discusses the various efforts made to improve education in the First State.
Markell points to the success 2011 Delaware graduates had on the ACT college entrance exam as one indication that the move to raise standards, emphasize STEM (Science,Technology, Engineering and Math), and other initiatives are working. 74 percent of Delaware students who took the ACT met the college readiness benchmark, topping the national average of 66 percent.
Governor's Weekly Message
Governor Jack Markell
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Full text of Governor Jack Markell’s weekly message:
It’s not even Labor Day, but some Delaware children have started working – leaving their summer vacations behind to tackle the challenges of a new school year.
Across the state, students will be heading back to schools strengthened by the hard work of many concerned citizens - parents, teachers, administrators, public officials and private sector employers – who’ve all committed themselves to the same goal: making Delaware schools some of the best in the country and making sure Delaware students graduate ready to thrive in work or college.
Delaware’s 2011 graduates who took the ACT exam fared better than their peers nationally in every subject.
Students are going to schools that will be stronger because Delawareans made clear we needed to raise the bar on what we consider proficiency in critical subjects like math and reading – schools stronger because of a renewed focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math to help our state better compete for and win new jobs in the fastest growing areas of the new economy, and stronger because of the hard work of so many Delawareans who worked on legislation that I was proud to sign this year – including new laws that give districts an expanded ability to hire top teaching talent and new laws that provide more rigorous oversight of charter schools and new laws to better ensure that every child, including children with disabilities, have a fair shot at success. This summer also saw our state come together to make stronger its commitment to supporting early childhood education.
Kids across the state deserve a chance to arrive for their first day at our public schools ready to learn and better able to succeed. Look - I know that not many kids are going to admit that they’re excited to put summer behind them and head back to school, but the combined efforts of our teachers and administrators, our parents and public officials, our employers and some dedicated elected officials are starting to produce some exciting results. As this school year starts, let’s set some great expectations for our children; let’s thank their teachers for the job they do; and let’s keep that core commitment to work together to keep our students, our schools and our great state of Delaware moving forward.
